Drills and exercises.

  • Great Britain. Army. Royal Army Medical Corps
Date:
1951
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Drills and exercises. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Instructions for loading stretchers in Gas Warfare 42. On reaching the patient the squad will proceed as follows:— (a) If GAS 1s PRESENT.—Respirators will be adjusted. (b) Ye GAS IS NOT PRESENT :— (i) When the patient is unable to adjust his facepiece. No. 1 bearer will adjust the patient’s facepiece. The patient will continue to wear his facepiece while he is exposed to the risk of gas attack. (ii) When the patient is able to adjust his facepiece. No. 1 bearer will remove the patient’s facepiece from the haversack and place it on the patient’s chest so that he can rapidly obtain protection against gas. (c) WHEN THE PATIENT’S CLOTHING OR EQUIPMENT IS CONTAMINATED BY BLISTER GAS. (i) No. 1 bearer will examine the patient and decide how far it is essential to remove clothing or cut out areas. Patients should not be exposed unnecessarily to weather conditions which may increase the danger of shock. (ii) Nos. 1 and 3 bearers will remove the contaminated areas of clothing or equipment and apply anti-gas ointment. (iii) No. 2 bearer will cover the stretcher with the additional anti- gas cape and so protect it from contamination by the patient’s clothing or equipment. (iv) The patient will be placed on the stretcher. -(v) No. 2 bearer will cover the patient and his equipment with the patient’s anti-gas cape. (vi) No. 3 bearer will place contaminated clothing and equipment at the foot of the stretcher. _ (d) SPECIAL CASES (i) Casualties suffering from wounds of the head.—In many cases dressings can be held in position by the facepiece or head harness without interfering with gas protection. Unnecessary dressing or bandages will not be applied. Should it be necessary to apply a dressing which must interfere with the adjustment of the respirator, the point of leakage should as far as possible be blocked by additional dressings outside the facepiece. (ii) Casualties suffering from wounds of the chest or abdomen.— Danger of suffocating from bleeding or vomiting may occur if a casualty is wearing a facepiece. The casualty should be carried on the stretcher with his head turned to one side and when necessary the facepiece and the patient’s mouth should be cleared of obstruction.
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