Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-06-18
FIRST AID TO THE INJURED.
v-,.,~ucr;or nv which Much suffering
WAY be AEIcviated.

facle. and when Il Is IeLhSHoNse
in the great majority OF cases, the pain
and suffering incident to such accidents
are enormously augmented by Ignorance
and inability 10 render prompt reiief, any
means bv which such unnecessary snller
ino can he alleviated must be regarded
ne most humane. The Society for lnstruc
tion on First Aid to the Injured, has
been organized with this end in view,
and II seeks to accomplish its purpose
nv disseminating among all classes OF
society GENERAL information as TO the
preliminary treatment of the sick and
injured. 1t should be clearly under
stood. however. that there is no lnten-
tion on the part of the society TO inter
fere withethe medical profession. It's
object is not to rival, but to AID, the
physician or surgeon, and the instruction
given bvSthe society is intended to do no
more than qualify the pupil to adopt
such remedial measures as may be advan-
taaeous pending the doctors arrival, and
Ito afford some knowledge of nursing and
the laws of health. The society's object
his of the most practical character. 1t
teaches what is to be done in emergen
oies, wheh there is no proper appliances
at hand; when splint, or bandage, or
tourniquet must be extemporized; when
one must either do something instantly,
or stand helplessly by and see gnap
suffer the agony of a broken limb, or
suffocate, or bleed to death, simply be-
cause we do not know how to help him,
When the pressure of finger. properly
applied for few moments, might stve q
mans life, he is allowed to die, because
nobody happens to be near who knows
where to place that finger It is to afford
every one the knowledge of such matters
as these, simple in i@elf, but often in
volving s question Of life and death, that
this society has been formed to give in
struction in first aid to the injured.
The society was organized in the win
ter of 1872 by the State Charities Aid
association of New York, on the plan of
the st. Johns Ambulance association, of
England, and since its inception, has
given instruction to upward of two
thousand pupils in New York city alone.
Branches have been formed In Provi-
dence, Hampton Orange, Brooklyn, and
other cities; and classes in Philadelphia.
Boston and Buffalo have been attended
by large numbers of persons. The so
ciety is now engaged in organizing
branches throughout the country, and
the rapidity of its growth indicates that
it will soon be national institution. In
struction is given by means of lectures,
accompanied by practical illustrations,
" subject" being present at each lecture
to personate the patient. The pupil,
after being shown how to render first
aid" as in the case of an apparently
drowned person, for instance, is required
to 90 through the process of resuscitating
and so gains knowledge Of what should
be done under such circumstances which
is not easily forgotten. BY this means,
also. the lectures are made interesting,
and they are so free from technicalities
as to be within the understanding Of
everyone. The society has published a
neat little handbook, containing much
valuable information, and it has issued a
handsome certificate which it presents to
each pupil passing the requisite examina
ton.
The New York Academy of Medicine,
the New York County Medical society,
and the medical profession generally
have expressed the most cordial approval
the society's work, and have aided it
by giving their services as lecturers. The
Hon. John Jay is the president of the so
cie-y, and its officers are all wei
known people The lectures have
been attended by many ladies and gen
tlemen1 BY the employees of the New
York Central and Hudson River and
Pennsylvania Railroad companies, by the
employees In a number of large factories,
and by hany others, and First Aid .
instruction has been made a part Of the
training lof the municipal police
The Organization of a branch is very
simple matter 1t is only necessary to
form committee of half dozen ladies
and genfl emen, one of whom should be
q physician, we'll known in the locality,
TO act as medical director The names
of those composing the committee should
then be forwarded to the principal office
of the society, 6 East Fourteenth street,
New York, in order that they may be
elected members of the societE. which
will then provide, at cost price, the
necessary appliances and hand books, if
desired The cost of one ordinary set of
appliances, including charts, Illustrated
triangular bandages, ETC., does not ex-
coed SIS, and the hand books are twenty
five cents each. These are. the only
necessary expenses. When this has been
done the branch may be regarded As or
ganized, lecturers may at once be ap-
pointed by the medical director and
classes formed. The classee are open to
men and women, the sexes being separate /;
each class being limited to thirty, as
more cannot be instructed thoroughly at