VI. Shock, fainting, poisoning, drowning, suffocation from gas 15-19 20-22 VIII. Foreign bodies in the eye, ear, nose, and throat.. IX. Epileptic fits and states of unconsciousness X. Methods of removing wounded.... 23-26 27-33 34-36 1. Importance of individual training.—As most of the first-aid work in war under present conditions will be done by the individual soldier acting alone and not by a squad of two or more men, it is important that his training should be largely individual and such as will develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. 2. Object of teaching first aid.-The object of any teaching upon first aid or early assistance of the injured or sick is not only to enable one person to help another, but in some measure to help himself. The purpose of these directions is to show how this may be done with simple means and by simple methods. It is a mistake to think that you must know many things to be helpful, but you must understand a few things clearly in order to assist the patient in a severe case until he can be seen by the surgeon or those who are thoroughly trained. In ordinary cases what you can do is often all that may be necessary. These short instructions are intended for application anywhere at a military post, in camp, or under any circumstances of ordinary life, but, as the wounds received in battle are the most important to the soldier, it is the more necessary that he should know what to expect there and what to do for himself and others. Most of these wounds in major combat are made by shells or shrapnel; few are by rifle ball, while those made by the saber and bayonet come last in frequency. 3. General instructions.-As a further foreword the following points may be brought out in a general way for the guidance of those who may be called upon to render first aid to the injured: a. Keep cool. b. Don't get excited. c. Examine his injury. d. Be gentle-don't handle a wounded man roughly. e. Do not try to do too much. f. A Medical Department man is usually available and should be found as soon as possible to care for the case. g. In this connection the importance of warmth may be emphasized in the case of injured men. (1) If a severely wounded man is not kept warm he will probably die. (2) After you have cared for the man's injury be sure to keep him warm. (3) Fill canteens with hot water and place under his armpits and between his legs; always outside of his clothing, in order to obviate the danger of causing painful burns or scalds. (4) Wrap him in blankets or other warm covering that may be available. (5) If he has not been shot through the abdomen or chest, give him hot tea, hot chocolate, or hot coffee, or, if none of these are available, plain hot water, if you have any means of providing it. (6) Place him on a litter and carry him to a dugout or other place of safety and send one man for litter bearers. (Do not carry a wounded man to the rear unless told to do so by an officer; such work is the duty of the litter bearers.) Section II GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES Deimer's first-aid rules (modified) Paragraph First-aid packet Bandages and slings 4. Deimer's first-aid rules (modified).—a. Never touch a wound with anything unclean-dirty fingers, nondisinfected bandages, dirty water, etc. It may cause inflammation, ulceration, or blood poisoning. b. Expose the wound by removing the covering article of dress, which contains many impurities. Unbutton or cut clothes and examine extent of bleeding. Open all articles of clothing which might hinder circulation of blood or breathing (collar, necktie, belt). To avoid pain and bleeding, raise legs by putting under them a pack, saddle, truss of straw, etc.; slight bleeding will often cease in this position of its own accord without any bandaging. A bandage is advisable to protect the wound from dirt, flies or cold. Use the first-aid packet. Coats, pouches, haversacks, etc., may be used as pillows. c. If the wound does not bleed at all, or only a few drops at a time, no constriction or pressure is necessary. d. If the blood is spurting or in a strong stream from a wound, you must use measures to stop it. 5. First-aid packet.-a. When a ball enters or goes through the muscles or soft part of the body alone, generally nothing need be done except to protect the wound or wounds with the contents of the first-aid packet. As the first-aid packet will be your principal means of applying first aid, it is well that you should become familiar with its contents and the methods of applying it to various parts of the body; hence a description of the contents and directions for application are given herewith. Each packet contains: (1) Two bandages of absorbent sublimated (1:1,000) gauze, 4 by 84 inches. (2) Two compresses of absorbent sublimated (1:1,000) gauze, each composed of one-half square yard of gauze, folded so as to make a compress 31⁄2 by 7 inches. One compress to be placed lengthwise in the center of each bandage and retained in position by sewing along one end and across the center. The loose end of the compress is then folded on the sewed part and held by one or two stitches, thus making a compress 31⁄2 by 31⁄2 inches. Each bandage thus prepared to be rolled loosely from each end, with the roll toward the back of the bangage, until the compress is reached. The latter is now folded through the center and the flattened rolls of the bandages laid on either side of the folded compress. Each bandage then to be wrapped separately in parchment or waxed paper. (3) Two No. 3 safety pins wrapped in waxed paper. The two compresses and the safety pins are then wrapped together in tough paper, on which simple directions for application are printed. The packet thus prepared to be placed in a hermetically sealed metal case with a suitable arrangement for easy opening. All contents of the case must be sterile. Dimensions of the case should not exceed 4 by 22 by 1 inches. The words "First-aid packet, U. S. Army," are stamped on the metal case. Also directions for opening, manufacturer's name, and date of contract. b. The shell-wound dressing consists of: (1) The compress composed of 1 square yard of absorbent sublimated (1:1,000) gauze, so folded as to make a pad 6 by 9 inches. Across the back of each end of the compress is placed a piece of gauze bandage 3 inches wide by 48 inches long projecting beyond the compress 21 inches on each side. These bandages are held in position by sitiching along the edges of the compress; the tails are loosely rolled and placed on the back of the compress. The compress thus made is wrapped in parchment or waxed paper. (2) One bandage, 3 inches wide by 5 yards long, of absorbent sublimated (1:1,000) gauze, loosely rolled and wrapped in parchment or waxed paper. (3) Two No. 3 safety pins wrapped in waxed paper. The whole dressing is wrapped in tough paper with directions for application printed thereon. The short bandages sewed to the compress are for the purpose of temporarily fixing the compresses on the wound, after which it is firmly bound on by the roller bandage. c. Directions for applying first-aid packet. Carefully remove the wrapper and proceed as follows: (1) If there is only one wound, carefully remove the paper from one of the two packages without unfolding compress or bandage and hold by grasping the outside rolls of bandage between the thumb and fingers. When ready to dress wound, open compress by pulling on the two rolls, being careful not to touch the inside of the compress with fingers or anything else. Still holding one roll of the bandage in each hand, apply the compress to the wound, then wrap the bandage around the limb or part and tie the ends together or fasten with safety pins. The second compress and bandage may be applied over the first or it may be used for a sling if the arm is wounded or to bind both legs together if one is injured. (2) If there are two wounds opposite each other, apply to one wound a compress with unrolled bandage and hold it in place by the bandage of the compress used to cover the other wound. (3) If there are two wounds not opposite each other tie a compress over each. (4) If the wound is too large to be covered by the compress, find and break the stitch holding the compress together, unfold it, and apply as directed above. (5) Be careful not to touch the wound with your fingers nor handle it in any way, for the dirt on your hands is harmful, and you must disturb a wound as little as possible. Never wash the wound except under the orders of a medical officer. The bandaging will stop ordinary bleeding. Generally, this is all that is necessary for the first treatment, and sometimes it is all that is needed for several days. The importance of the care with which this first dressing is made can not be too seriously insisted upon. It is better to leave a wound undressed than to dress it carelessly or ignorantly, so that the dressing must soon be removed. (6) Always remember that if the contents of one packet is not large enough to cover a wound thoroughly, you should use several packages or enough to insure that the wound is well covered and protected. (7) Be careful to keep your fingers out of the wound. (8) Make no attempt to clean the wound-simply cover it with a dressing and bandage. 6. Bandages and slings. In addition to the slings made with the bandages, two forms of slings provided by the ordinary clothing are shown here. (Pls. 1 and 2.) 7. Wounds.-a. Wounds may be very small or quite large, either as a scratch on your hand, which is a small wound, or a crushed leg, which is a very large wound. All wounds will bleed more or less. Now and then a wound will bleed very freely, because a large blood vessel has been wounded; and you must know how to stop the bleeding, or hemorrhage, as it is called. Remember that all wounds bleed a little but that, as a rule, this bleeding will stop in a few minutes if the patient is quiet, and that the firm pressure of the pads and bandage will keep it controlled. Occasionally, but not often, something else must be done. |