Part 47 (1/2)

You will observe that in no case is the right hand or the left hand specified. The officer may either face the company or have his back toward it.

CHAPTER VII

FIRST AID TO THE INJURED

In the army, as in civilian life, you are very often your brother's keeper, as well as your own. Doctors cannot accompany a scout, a patrol, or the firing line. They are seldom present when a man falls overboard.

When a soldier on the firing line is wounded, he may remain for several hours where he falls. He, or his comrade, bandages the wound. Suppose you are wounded, bitten by a snake, etc., what would you do? You may have to give a practical answer to these questions at some time during your life.

This chapter tells you what to do and what not to do in case of the most frequent disabling accidents that may befall a soldier or a civilian.

Ask your mother, father, older brothers, and sisters to read it. Part of it is for them.

FIRST-AID PACKET

Each soldier carries on his belt a first-aid packet. This packet contains two perfectly pure bandages and a couple of safety pins. It should be air tight. Examine yours every week and if the seal is defective, ask your captain for a new packet.

CAUTIONS

1. Act quickly but quietly. Be calm and quiet. Don't lose your head.

2. Make the injured party sit or lie down.

3. See the injury clearly before treating it. Send for a doctor if the wound is serious.

4. Do not remove more clothing than is necessary to examine the injury.

Always rip, or, if you cannot rip, cut the clothes from the injured part. Don't pull the clothes off.

5. Give alcoholic stimulants cautiously and slowly, and only when the patient feels weak or drowsy. Hot coffee or tea will often suffice when obtainable.

6. Keep from the patient all persons not actually needed to a.s.sist you.

7. Do not touch a wound with your fingers. If the wound is dirty, remove the dirt as well as possible, with the first-aid bandage.

8. Don't pour into the wound any water from your canteen for the purpose of was.h.i.+ng it out or was.h.i.+ng the blood from around the wound.

Water often contains germs and the skin around the wound may be dirty.

If water is poured into the wound it carries or washes into the same these germs and dirt, and the wound will become infected.

9. Heat and moisture increases the activity of the germ of infection.

Therefore keep the wound cool and dry.