Woman’s Weekly Living Series – July 2019

FIRST-AID HISTORY

✿ In 1877, St John Ambulance

(founded by the Order of St

John) started training the public

in first-aid techniques and

provided equipped

ambulances in the

UK. Ten years later,

it became a voluntary

organisation and

started offering free

medical care. During

that year, on 20 June,

50 volunteers carried out

its first official public duty,

attending Queen Victoria’s

Golden Jubilee.

✿ Fast forward 21 years to

1908, and they rolled out

for the London Olympics,

beginning the tradition of being

on duty for major sporting

events. They’re always at

Wimbledon – fitting, since

the tennis tournament and the

charity were both launched in

the very same month, July,

in 1877 – 71 years before the

formation of the NHS in 1948.

✿ Since then, St John

Ambulance (SJA) volunteers

have dealt with everything

from bombs (they were out

in force during

both World Wars

and more recently,

in the aftermath

of terror attacks)

to Beatlemania,

treating the

group’s hysterical

fans during the 1960s.

✿ It was long before that,

around 1070, that the

Order of St John (dedicated

to St John the Baptist)

was founded in Jerusalem,

to care for pilgrims. It later

moved to Malta, and its

emblem, seen on the

uniform of St John Ambulance

volunteers, is an eight-pointed

Maltese Cross embellished

with lions and unicorns.

✿ Today, the charity is active

in over 40 countries with a

mission ‘to prevent and relieve

sickness and injury and to act

to enhance the wellbeing of

people anywhere in the world’.

1

You’re having lunch with a

friend when she suddenly

begins to choke on some food.

She can’t speak, breathe or

cough it up. How can you help?

A)Stick your fingers down her

throat to try to dislodge the

obstruction B)Attempt to do

the Heimlich manoeuvre on her.

C)Give up to five back blows

between her shoulder blades

2

Your colleague says

they have a tight pain

in the chest and are feeling

breathless. You suspect a heart

attack. What should you do?

A)Get them to lay down

flat somewhere

B)Encourage them

to stand up

and move

around slowly

C)Ask them

to sit down

in a comfortable

position

3

One of your friends has cut

his arm and is bleeding

severely. How do you treat it?

A)Put the injured limb in some

cold water B)Apply direct

pressure over the wound

C)Give him an aspirin

4

You’re walking home and

see a man lying on the

ground. You ask him if he’s all

right but he doesn’t respond.

What should you do next?

A)Leave him to wake up by

himself B)Begin CPR

C)Check his airway is clear

5

You need to perform CPR

on your neighbour after

she collapsed and stopped

breathing. How many chest

compressions to rescue

breaths should you do?

A)30 compressions to two

breathsB)20 compressions to

five breaths C)15 compressions

to three breaths

Test your first-aid knowledge

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Who

knew?

More than 54 babies’ lives have
been saved by people having
watched The Chokeables ad,
showing how to aid a choking
baby. Go to sja.org.uk
and search for
‘The Chokeables’.
How it all began

Quiz answers

1 C:If they cannot clear

the object themselves,

support them with one

hand while leaning them

forwards, give up to five

back blows between

their shoulder blades.

2 C: You need to ease the

strain on their heart.

A half-sitting position,

with their head and

shoulders supported

and knees bent is best.

3 B: Apply direct

pressure over the

wound with your

hand using a clean

dressing. If you

don’t have one,

ask the person to

apply pressure.

Maintain direct

pressure on

the wound to

control bleeding.

4 C:Check the

airway is open and

clear by tilting the

head and lifting

the chin to open it.

5 A:Do 30

compressions to

two breaths.

Sir Winston

Churchill showed

his support

On duty at a

sporting event

in the 1970s