CHAPTER XIII 

 FIRST AID IN ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES 



384. Frequent Opportunities to give First Aid. We have 

 tried in the preceding chapters to understand a few of the 

 laws of health and to apply them intelligently to our daily 

 living. It will help us to clinch what we have already 

 mastered, if we now supplement our work with a knowl- 

 edge of simple methods of procedure in case of the more 

 common and less serious accidents and emergencies. 



Emergencies and accidents are of frequent occurrence. 

 A playmate may cut his leg or foot with a scythe or knife, 

 or fall and break his arm. A child may accidentally swal- 

 low some laudanum, set his own clothing on fire, or push 

 a bean into his nose or ear. A teamster may be brought 

 in with his ears frost-bitten. A small boy may fall into the 

 river and be brought out apparently drowned. Some one 

 of our own family may be taken suddenly sick with some 

 contagious disease or may be suffocated with coal gas. 



All these and many other things of a like nature call 

 for a cool head, a steady hand, and some practical knowl- 

 edge of what is to be done until medical or surgical help 

 is obtained. A fairly good working knowledge of such 

 matters may be easily mastered. 



A boy or girl who has acquired this knowledge and who 

 is able to maintain a certain amount of self-control will find 

 many opportunities in after years to lend a hand in the 

 midst of accidents and sudden sickness. 



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