The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-06-08
FIRST AID in SCHOOLS
Mr.. Farnsworth Thinks Study
Would be Interesting.

| Editor Herald:-In your issue OF
June End, you gave a brief view OF
the state mine inspectors biennial re-
port and among other recommends;
tons is the teaching of first aid in the
schools. s
This is, | believe, a very good rec
ommendation and one that have ad-
lvocating for some time, and whenever
| I have mentioned it to one of our city
Ephysicials they have one and all CIV
en- it their endorsement.
! But / do not think it should be TAX
len up in all grades but only in the
high school and maybe in the 7th and
8th grades. 49,
This first aid work was begun in
1899 and the education of the miner
! in this work was begun in 1904 BY
some of the larger companies OF
Pennsylvania. ..,s. Il, gc ..,,..... J..
| On the establishment OF the bureau
of mines by the u. S, Government,
there were eight cars purchased and
! equipped to teach first aid and there
were also six stations established for
the same purpose, s-s.r. -,s 81
| The question is raised as how it
will benefit the scholar as they are
not employed or expect to be employ
led in the mines.
The answer is this; ON Saturday
morning on my way to work | inter-
viewed two Of my young friends who
' are students in our high school and
in answer to nv questions as to what
steps they would take should one OF
their companions be overcome by
drowning or suffer an electric shock
or if one OF them should suffer from
a wound that caused arterial bleeding.
Their answers were; we would not
know what to do. .--. 20
But how many of you the parents
would know what to do? Very few
of you even know that the same treat.
ment is used for both drowning and
electric shock. 80
| | myself at one time was compelled
; to see a young friend bleed to death
just because / did not know at that
time what to do.
Yet the three questions that ! ask
the boys was but very few OF the
things that the first aid work teaches
in the way of saving life and relieving
pain.
All the boys go swimming; we are
all liable to suffer from electric shock
and even on the athletic field it would
be found useful if only in the care
and handling Of those injured.
: First aid work is not SO much a
study but would rather go with the
physical exercises. -
And believe that it would add zest
to the study of physiology and an
atomy. .... -,
Further first aid work does not call
| for large amount of money to be
be spent while studying it. ~.
In fact l believe that an expenditure
of fifteen (15) dollars would cover the
cost of all supplies to be used in a
class of thirty. 7.a--
! As to g instruction part that is a
matter that | think can be handled
without any further expense as be-
lieve that any of our doctors wauld be
pleased to lecture to the classes
! gratis.
The u. S. Bureau Of mines has
number OF instructors on detached
services and at least three of them
are in Iowa at the present time and
/ it would be an easy matter to have
one of them come and organize the
classes and start them away right.
This is a message to you parents
and it is worthy of thought for as has
often bee said accidents will happen.
/ of Mines.
Z. A. FARNSWORTH,
First Aid Certificate U. S. Bureau
of Mines.
Oskaloosa, Iowa, June 5, 1916.