12
Health Emergencies
12.1 Introduction
Everyday one hears incidents about somebody falling down from stairs and spraining
an ankle, an L.P.G. cylinder bursting causing burns, a child accidentally touching a hot
iron. What is the reaction of most people in such a situation? Most of them just stand
without helping because they don’t know what to do, they are scared or are just not
bothered. However, the situation could have been prevented from worsening if the
people around know first-aid.
12.2 Objectives
After reading this lesson you will be able to:
z
define the terms ‘Health Emergencies’ and ‘First-Aid’;
z
identify the features of an emergency situation;
z
state the importance of giving first-aid;
z
list rules of first-aid;
z
give first-aid to victims of excessive bleeding, fracture, sprain, burns and scalds,
shock, electric-shock, animal bites and stings, drowning, heat-exhaustion and sunstroke;
z
list the things required for making a first-aid box;
z
make use of material lying near-by while giving first-aid.
12.3 Health Emergencies and First-Aid
Let us take a look at a few incidences
z
A man gets an electric-shock from a geyser
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z
A woman falls and fractures her arm
z
A child gets bitten by a dog
z
A man becomes unconscious while working in the sun.
What is peculiar about the above mentioned incidences? The person’s health is in
danger and if help in the form of first aid is not given quickly the person may even die.
These situations and many more like these are called Health Emergencies.
A health-emergency is a situation in which the health of a person is in danger because of a sudden accident or illness, and
immediate help is needed to save a life.
To handle health emergencies, the injured person must be given help and proper
attention i.e., first-aid. First-aid may consist of making the injured comfortable,
stop bleeding, ease pain and help in breathing.
Let us now define the term First-Aid.
The immediate treatment given to the victim of an accident or
sudden illness, before medical help arrives is called First Aid.
12.4 What is an Emergency Situation?
You must have seen a victim of an accident. What did she look like? Most probably she was bleeding, in great pain or even unconscious. The most common
symptoms which are seen, depending upon the kind of injuries are shock, paleness, shivering, burns, bleeding or a deformed limb.
Let’s list down the features of an emergency situation–
z
Shock
z
Pain
z
Difficulty in breathing
z
Injuries
z
Bleeding
z
Burns
z
Deformity of limbs.
WHY GIVE FIRST-AID?
Let’s take a look at a few incidences
z
a person touches a live wire
Health Emergencies :: 181
z
a woman’s saree catches fire while cooking
z
a scooterist gets hit by a speeding truck and starts bleeding
z
a child falls into a pond
What will happen if first-aid is not given to these people? Obviously, the injured persons condition will worsen and she/he may even die. If proper first-aid is given the
injured persons life could be saved.
FIRST-AID–
z
saves life
z
lessens pain
z
helps in early recovery
z
prevents condition from worsening
12.5 Rules of First Aid
When you are giving first-aid, you want to lessen the victims pain and make her comfortable till a doctor arrives. To do this, certain rules should be followed.
1.
Be calm: if you are disturbed you will not be able to give proper first-aid.
2.
Disperse the crowd: If an accident takes place on a road, tell the people to
move away and loosen the victims clothing so that she gets some air to
breathe.
3.
Put out the fire: If the victim’s clothes have caught fire, put out the fire
with water, except in case of electric shock.
4.
Move the victim to a safe place: If the victim has received burns, or an
electric shock or is choking due to smoke, take the victim away from the
cause of accident.
5.
Give artificial respiration: If the patient has difficulty in breathing, artificial respiration must be given.
6.
Call a doctor or take the victim to a hospital immediately.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.1
Tick mark (√) the correct answers
1.
First-Aid is given to
(A)
lessen pain
(B)
save life
(C)
help in early recovery
(D)
all of the above
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2.
Write True or False the against the statements given below
A.
A First-Aider should be very strong
B.
A First-Aider should remain clam.
C.
A First-Aider should have a loud voice.
D.
A First-Aider should be very intelligent.
E.
A First-Aider should act quickly.
12.6 Exessive Bleeding
You must have cut your finger at one time or the other and it must have bled.
What did you do to stop the bleeding? Most probably, you pressed your finger or
put it under water. If bleeding does not stop and a lot of blood comes out, it
becomes necessary to give first-aid.
You know that blood in our body flows through vessels, which are of three types:1. Capillaries
2. Arteries
3. Veins
When you cut a finger, very little blood comes out. This happens when capillaries, which are present on the surface of the skin are cut. In such cases, first-aid is
not required but if an artery or vein is cut, first-aid becomes essential.
FIRST-AID
1.
Press the edges of the wound firmly together with your fingers or press hard
with your hand till bleeding stops.
2.
Tell the patient to lie down with the bleeding part raised a little. Why? This
is done to make sure that blood does not flow out quickly.
3.
Slip a thick pad of clean cloth, towel or handkerchief under your hand, maintaining pressure all the time. Tie a bandage firmly over this pad.
However, a questions arises-should you tie the bandage above the cut, below the
cut or at either place? Does it matter where you tie the bandages? Yes, you have
to first find out whether an artery has been cut or a vein has been cut.
How will you find this? Right, if the blood is flowing out in jerks and is bright
red in colour it means an artery has been cut. In such a case the bandage should
be tied on the side which is closest to the heart. If the blood is flowing out smoothly
and is deep red in colour then it means a vein has been cut. In this case the
bandage should be tied at the side away from the heart.
It bleeding continues, do not take off the original dressing but
add more pads.
Health Emergencies :: 183
3.
Keep the injured covered and warm.
4.
If conscious, give something to drink.
5.
Call a doctor as quickly as possible.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.2
I
Fill in the blanks with correct words-
1.
If blood flows out smoothly from a cut, it means a ___________ has been
cut.
2.
If the blood flows out in jerks, it means a __________ has been cut.
3.
The bleeding part should be __________ a little.
4.
If an artery is cut the bandage should be tied at the side __________ to the
heart.
II
Read section 12.6 once again. Write the most important step to take when
faced with excessive bleeding.
12.7 Fracture
A fracture means a break in the bone. How will you come to know whether the
victim has a fracture? A fracture is not very obvious like bleeding. However the
affected body part becomes very painful, swells up, there is severe pain and the
victim is unable to move it. In such a case you will give first-aid for fracture until
diagnosed otherwise by the doctor.
FIRST-AID
1.
Warn the victim not to move and ask the others also not to try to do so.
Do not handle the fracture unnecessarily. The simpler the first-aid, the
better.
2.
Steady and support the injured part with appropriate support i.e., splint.
Which is the immediate splint available for fractured legs and arms? That’s
right, the victim’s own body. Tie the injured leg to the sound leg and the
injured arm to the chest.
How will you make a splint? Splints can be made from long pieces of wood,
a walking stick, an umbrella, newspaper and magazines rolled up, etc.
If you put a splint directly to the fractured part will it not hurt? So, what
will you do? Right, padding in the form of cotton, socks, towels, handkerchief, etc., should be placed between the fractured part and the splint. Tie
the splint firmly, but not too tight to stop the circulation.
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Splints can be tied with rope, handkerchief, etc.
3.
keep the victim warm and give something hot like tea or coffee to drink.
4.
Call a doctor immediately or take the patient to a doctor.
Splints should be long so that joints above and below the injured part
cannot move.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.3
Tick mark the correct answers:
1.
If a victim has fracture as well as bleeding, the bleeding part should
A. be raised
B. not be raised
C. be first treated
D. be tied to a splint first.
2.
The fractured area can be tied to a
A. wooden stick
B. rolled up magazine
C. an umbrella
D. all of the above
3.
Given below are steps of first-aids for a victim of fracture. Arrange them in
order in which they should be followed.
C. Tie a splint
D
Tell the patient not to move
B
give something warm to drink
A. call the doctor.
12.8 Sprain
While walking on an uneven road, a person’s foot suddenly slips. The ankle
starts paining and she is unable to walk. What has happened? Most probably it is
a sprain. But what is a sprain?
A sprain is the over stretching or partial tearing or breaking
of the ligament.
Ligaments are muscles joining one bone to another. How will you determine
Health Emergencies :: 185
whether a person has a sprain? If the person is unable to move the injured part and it
swells up, then it indicates a sprain.
It is sometimes difficult to say whether the victim has a sprain
or fracture. When in doubt treat as fracture.
FIRST-AID
1.
2.
3.
4.
Make the patient comfortable so that the sprained limb does not move.
Raise the injured limb.
Cool the sprained area with a towel or a thick cloth dipped in cold water.
This will reduce pain as well as swelling. Repeat it a number of times.
Send for a doctor or take the patient to a doctor.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.4
I
Tick mark (√) the correct answer
1.
Sprain occurs when
A.
a bone is fractured
B.
a muscle breaks or stretches
C.
a ligament breaks or stretches
D.
none of the above
II
Do you think it will help if a cold towel is applied to a fractured part?
2.
While treating a sprain, cold water is applied to
12.9
A.
lower the body temperature
B.
lessen pain and swelling
C.
calm the victim
D.
all of the above.
BURNS AND SCALDS
If you touch a hot pan while working in the kitchen, does it pain a lot? If boiling
water from the pan falls on your hand it pains much more. The first case is called
burning and the second is called scalding.
Burns and scalds require immediate first-aid because when the skin gets burnt
heat enters the deeper tissues and remains there, causing harm.
FIRST AID
1.
Put the victim in a tub full of water. This is done to cool the burnt area. If it
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is not possible to put the victim in a tub of water, put the burnt area e.g., finger,
hand or leg under a running tap.
2.
Burnt tissues swell. So, it is better to remove rings, bangles, belts, etc., worn by
the victim.
3.
Cover the burnt area with a bandage, clean sheet or a cotton saree. Do not try to
remove the clothes of the victim. Why? Right, clothes might be sticking to the
victim’s skin and removing them will pull the skin, causing pain. Germs and infections can also enter the body.
Tests have shown that tap water is the best for cooling burnt
areas. Never use creams, lotions or antiseptics on the burnt
area.
4.
Treat the victim for shock.
5.
Take the victim to the doctor immediately.
In case of a scalding, blisters on the skin should not be broken.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.5
Select the correct answer from the words given in brackets.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hot tea falling of on skin causes ____________ (burn, scald)
For cooling the burnt area, it is advisable to use ___________ (tap water,
ice-cold water)
Burnt area should be covered with a bandage __________ (after removing
the victims clothes, without removing the victims clothes)
Apply _________ on the burnt area. (cream, lotion, nothing)
12.10
SHOCK
Any accident situation in which the person suffers injuries, burns, fractures or
sudden illness like a heart-attack, causes a shock. How will you recognise a person under shock?
The person looks pale, tired and sweats a lot.
She feels weak and faint; She may feel sleepy; the pulse is fast but weak.
FIRST AID
1.
Make the victim comfortable and lay her down with the legs raised above
the level of the head.
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2.
Loosen the clothes and cover with a blanket or a thick cloth. Why? Yes, to
prevent the heat loss from the body.
Do not use hot water bottles to keep the patient warm, it will bring
blood to the skin and result in heat loss.
3.
Talk to the patient and calm her down.
4.
If the patient is thirsty give a handkerchief soaked in water to suck.
Do not give anything to drink or eat as the victim may vomit and
choke.
5.
Call the doctor immediately.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.6
1.
A person suffering from shock needs a
A.
blanket
B.
damp sheet
C.
hot water bottle
D.
thin saree
2.
A victim of shock should be made to lie down
A.
with the legs raised
B.
with the head raised
C.
flat on the ground
D.
on the side.
12.11 ELECTRIC SHOCK
Electricity plays a very important role in our lives and has made our life comfortable.
However, like fire, electricity can be dangerous and has to be handled with care. If not
handled with care, it can result in an electric-shock. Electric shock is of two types:
1.
Mild
2.
Severe
In mild shock the victim is thrown off and should be treated for common shocks i.e.
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made comfortable and given something hot to drink.
However, if the shock is severe, first-aid should be given as follows:FIRST-AID
1.
Switch off the current or pull out the plug and disconnect the victim from the
current.
2.
Never touch the victim before disconnecting, or you too, will get a shock if you
touch the victim. To pull the victim use a wooden stick, chair or rubber soled
shoes.
3.
Check for other injuries and provide first-aid as required for fracture, burns or
shock.
4.
Take the victim to a doctor immediately.
REMEMBER
1. Never touch the victim until the current has been turned off
or she has been separated from the electrically live object.
2. Never touch the victim with wet hands or metallic objects.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.7
Tick mark (√) the correct answer.
1.
To disconnect a victim from electric shock it is advisable to use–
Health Emergencies :: 189
2.
A.
your hands
B.
any object nearby
C.
hockey stick
D.
a metal stick
Given below are steps for treating a victim of electric-shock. Arrange them in
the order in which first-aid should be given.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Pull the victim from the wire
Treat the victim’s burns
Switch off the current
Treat the victim for shock.
12.12 ANIMAL BITES AND STINGS
Bites from a dog or a snake are extremely dangerous and quite common. When these
animals bite, they pass some poisons into the blood. These poisons can kill a person.
Similarly, the sting of insects, bees, scortions are also dangerous.
(a)
SNAKE BITE - A snake has two long teeth with which it bites. These fangs
leave two tiny holes on the victim’s body.
FIRST- AID
1.
Tie a bandage, handkerchief or rope above the bite so that the poison does not
spread in the body.
2.
Do not move the bitten area, gently wash the wound with clean salty water.
3.
Ice packs can be applied on the wound.
4.
The victim of a snake bite feels very sleepy. Keep her awake.
(b)
DOG BITE - The bite of a dog is very dangerous, specially if the dog is mad.
How will you know that the dog is made?
A mad dog barks a lot, the tail hangs between the legs and the mouth always has foam
in it. When a dog bites, germs from his body enter the body of the victim. These germs
can make the victim go mad and lead to death. It is very important that the victim gets
first-aid immediately.
FIRST-AID
1.
Wash the bite with soap and water.
2.
Take the victim to a doctor immediately. The doctor will give anti-rabic injections to counter act the poison.
(c) INSECT BITES
When bees, wasps, scorpions bite people they inject the victim’s body with poisons.
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The area around the bite becomes red and swells up. It burns a lot.
FIRST-AID
1.
Remove the insect’s sting with the tip of a sterilized needle. What is a sterilized
needle? When the tip of an ordinary needle is heated to free it from germs, it is
called sterilized.
2.
Put soda on a bee sting.
3.
Put vinegar on a wasp sting.
4.
Take the victim to a doctor.
12.13 Drowning
Have you heard of people who fall into rivers and wells and die? Why does death
occur? When anyone falls in water it enters the mouth and nose and fills the
lungs so that breathing becomes impossible. If first-aid is not given immediately
the person can die. The aim of first-aid is to clean out water (or other matters)
from lungs and to give artificial respiration.
FIRST-AID
1.
Put the victim flat on the stomach with face on the side.
Stretch the arms over the head. Raise the middle part of the body (around
the belly) with your hands. What will this do? It will cause the water to
drain out of the lungs.
2.
As soon as breathing starts, remove the wet clothes and cover with a blanket. In case the victim is conscious, give a hot drink.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.8
Tick mark the correct answer
1.
2.
A victim of drowning is given artificial respiration because
A.
she is weak
B.
she is in a state of shock
C.
the wind-pipe is full of water
D.
the pulse is very slow.
The main aim of first-aid given to a victim of drowning is to
A.
make her conscious
B.
raise the body temperature
C.
lower the body temperature
D.
drain water from lungs
Health Emergencies :: 191
12.14 HEAT EXHAUSTION AND SUN-STROKE
We all know that the sun is very important for life. But there are times when excessive
heat from the sun can be harmful for us. Our body loses extra heat by sweating but if
this extra heat is not lost it results in over-heating of the body.
Over-heating can be of two types:
1.
Heat exhaustion
2.
Sun-stroke
HEAT EXHAUSTION
If we keep on working in hot weather we sweat a lot and lose a lot of water and salt
from the body. This results in heat exhaustion. How will you know that a person has
heat exhaustion? The person:
z
Becomes tired
z
Feels faint
z
Has a headache
z
Has a rapid pulse
FIRST-AID
1.
Make the victim lie down in a cool, shaded place.
2.
Give something cold to drink with salt and sugar added to it, e.g., water with
glucose and salt, nimbu pani, lassi, (butter-milk) with salt etc.
These will help to bring down the body temperature and restore the salts lost.
SUN-STROKE
Sun-stroke occurs when a person keeps on working in hot weather which is windless
and humid. Do you prespire in humid weather? Yes, but in humid weather, extra water
in the form of perspiration does not evaporate from our body. This causes in extra heat
to accumulate in our body resulting in a sun-stroke.
The victim of sun stroke has the following symptoms:
1.
tiredness
2.
strong headache
3.
red and hot skin
4.
fast pulse
5.
collapses and becomes unconscious.
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FIRST-AID
1.
Put the victim in a shaded place and remove the clothes.
2.
Cool the skin by fanning with paper or fan.
3.
Bring down temperature to normal with cold sponging. Keep a constant watch
on the body temperature.
4.
Call a doctor immediately.
You must have realized that there is very little difference between heat exhaustion and
sun-stroke. Let us take a comparative look at the cause and the first-aid given in both
cases.
HEAT EXHAUSTION
SUN-STROKE
CAUSE: loss of salts from body
CAUSE: heat accumulation in the body.
FIRST-AID
FIRST-AID
1. Rest at cool place
1. Cool the victim by fanning
2. Cold drink with sugar and
salt to replenish water and salt
of body.
2. Bring down the temperature with
cold sponging.
INTEXT QUESTIONSD 12.9
1.
In heat exhaustion, the body loses
A.
B.
C.
D.
water
salts
heat
water and salts
2.
Sun-stroke occurs due to
A.
loss of heat
B.
accumulation of heat
C.
loss of salts
D.
accumulation of salts
3.
Sun-stroke occurs in
A.
hot weather
B.
humid weather
C.
windless weather
D.
all of the above.
Health Emergencies :: 193
12.15
POISONING
You must have heard of instances where a person swallowed ratpoison by accident or
intentionally. Poisoning occurs when a person drinks or swallows any substance that is
injurious to health and can even cause death. Poisoning may occur accidentally or may
be done deliberately.
It can be caused due to:
1.
swallowing disinfectants like pheny1, rat poison, kerosene, sleeping tablets or
tranquilisers;
2.
breathing poisonous gases like LPG, motor exhausts, charcoal stove (angithi)
smoke;
3.
bites of poisonous snakes, rabic dogs, stings of scorpions and insects.
FIRST-AID
1.
Poisoning is a serious matter. The patient must be taken to a hospital immediately.
2.
Keep the packet or bottle which you think contained the poison and a sample
of victim’s vomit for examination by the doctor.
3.
Further first-aid will depend upon whether the patient is conscious or unconscious.
If Conscious
(a)
Make the victim vomit by rubbing the back of the throat. But if the poisoning is due to corrosive substances like kerosene oil, petrol, bleach, acid or
alkali do not make the victim vomit. How will you know that the victim has
swallowed a corrosive agent? The lips, mouth and nose show grey, white or
yellow patches.
(b) Make the patient drink plenty of cold water, milk or egg beaten and mixed
with water. This will dilute the poison and delay its absorption in the body.
Do not give the patient salt and water to drink, this does not
help and wrong amounts could even be poisonous.
If Unconscious:
(a)
Do not make the victim vomit.
(b)
Put the victim on a flat bed. If there is no breathing, a trained person could start
artificial respiration.
HOW TO AVOID ACCIDENTAL POISONING
1.
Keeping poisonous chemicals out of reach of children. All medicines, paints,
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petrol cans, phenyl and other household chemicals should be kept under lock
and key.
2.
Old medicines and tablets should be flushed away.
3.
Never keep poisonous substance in unmarked jars and bottles as they may be
used accidentally.
INTEXT QUESTIONS 12.10
Tick mark the correct answer–
1.
2.
While giving first-aid for poisoning, vomiting should not be induced if the patient
has swallowed.
A.
Rat poison
B.
sleeping tablets
C.
kerosene oil
D.
insect poison
The victim of poisoning should not be made to drink–
A.
water
B.
cold water
C.
salt and water
D.
luke warm water
12.16 FIRST-AID BOX
You have learnt to give first-aid to victims of different kinds of health emergencies.
Different situations require different materials. For bleeding, a bandage is required and
for fractures splints are required. Let us list down the things which we require to make
a first aid box which can be used in health emergencies.
Health Emergencies :: 195
1.
Bandages and band-aid: The bandages should be made of clean fine cloth.
There are two types of bandages - roller (these are long strips of cloth) and
triangular. A few of both should be kept in the box.
2.
Cotton: Clean and sterlized (germ-free) cotton for cleaning wounds (to sterlize
cotton, put cotton pieces in a pan and steam them).
A small glass: To give something cool or warm to drink to the victim.
Dettol or potassium permanganate, baking powder, tincture iodine, boric
acid: these disinfectants are used to clean wounds and remove germs.
Small scissors, knife and safety pin: for tying bandages and pinning the
bandage in place.
Aspirin tablets: to lessen pain.
Torch or candle: To see, if the accident occurs in dark.
A hot-water bottle: To give warmth to the patient.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
ACTIVITY:Make a first-aid box for use by your family at home. List all the things which you
will put in the box.
12.17 Making Use of Materials Lying Nearby While Giving
First-Aid
Do we know when a health emergency is going to arise? The answer is, no. Do
we carry a first aid-box with us always? Is a first aid box available in all situations, for e.g., if a accident takes place on a road? What is to be done then? Right,
we have to make use of things lying near by.
1.
For bandage: Sarees, dupattas, handkerchief or a shirt can be torn into small
strips and used as bandages.
2.
For splints: A ruler, a tree stem, a walking stick, an umbrella, a piece of wood,
newspapers and magazines rolled up can easily be used as splints. It should be
first covered with some cloth so that it does not hurt the patient.
3.
For slings: A cloth bag or a handkerchief made of into a triangle can be used as
a sling to give support to the fractured limb. If none of these things are available,
you can tie the broken limb to the unbroken part of the body.
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4.
For carrying the victim: To take the victim to the hospital we need a stretcher.
A small charpai, a table or a chair, a flat board, or even a stool can be used
for carrying a patient who cannot walk.
If none of these things are available two people can hold each others hands across
tightly and make a seat. The victim can be sat on this hand-seat and carried to a doctor.
Now make a list of some other items or things around you which you can use in case of
an emergency.
12.18 What You Have Learnt
In order to make it easier for you to remember, here are the main points of the lesson:
Raise and
press the
wound
Tie the
injuried part
to a splint
Apply cold
compress
Cool the
burnt area
Make the victim
lie down
BLEEDING
FRACTURE
SPRAIN
BURNS &
SCALDS
SHOCK
FIRST-AID
ELECTRICSHOCK
Disconnect
the victim
from the
current
ANIMAL BITE
AND STINGS
DROWNING
HEATSTROKE
POISONING
Treat the bite
with specific
chemical
Drain water
from lungs
Cool by
fanning
Induce vomiting
if conscious
12.19 Terminal Exercise
1.
Define the following terms
(a) First-aid
(b) Health emergency
(c)
Fracture
(d) Sprain
Health Emergencies :: 197
2.
Write down the first-aid treatment you will give in the following situations.
(a)
electric shock
(b)
bleeding
(c)
fracture
(d)
sun-stroke
1.
A lady has dropped hot oil on herself. How will you help her?
2.
What qualities do you think a good first aid worker should have?
12.20 Answers to Intext Questions
12.1
1.(d)
2. (a) F
12.2
1. Vein
2. Artery
12.3
Locate whether a vein or artery has been cut and tie a bandage
accordingly to stop the bleeding.
12.4
1. (c)
2.(d)
1. (c)
2. (b)
(b) T
(c) F
3. Raised
(d) F
(e) T
4. Close
3. (d) (c) (a) (b)
II Yes, because it helps to reduce swelling and pain.
12.5
1. Scalds 2 tap water
3. Without removing victim’s clothes 4. Nothing
12.6
1.(a)
2 (a)
12.7
1. (d)
2. (c) (a) (d) (b)
12.8
1. (c)
2. (D)
12.9
1. (D)
2. (B)
12.10
1. (C)
2. (C)
12.11
1. (A)
2. (D)
3(D)