The therapeutic value of tea; or, the wrong thing is worse than doing nothing

In a green folder labelled Sudan Government, provided by the Stolzenberg Patent File Co Ltd of Africa House, Kingsway WC2, I found the text of a lecture my father gave to soldiers in the Sudan during the war. He was Bimbashi, which as a boy I was most impressed to learn means leader of a thousand, in the Sudan Camel Corps. I never heard him speak in public, unlike my own children, who have experienced the embarrassing spectacle of their father holding forth. I'm puzzled too at the fact that it's typed out in full: was this required by the army or did he need the text in front of him? I have often heard that the army functions on tea, but never realised until reading this that they use it for treating wounds. Here it is:
First aid lecture, by Captain W.G.Roper, RAMC
Preface
Anybody may at any time have to look after an injured man, particularly in war time. If he has no knowledge of first aid, he will probably become flustered and do the first thing that occurs to him, which will nearly always be the wrong thing, so that it would be better if he did nothing at all.
By learning a few elementary principles of first aid, anybody cane easily become capable of rendering great assistance to an injured man and may be the means of saving his life or avoiding the necessity of amputating a limb.
It is for this reason that I am giving this lecture.

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General Principles

1. In all cases send for the nearest medical officer immediately.
2. The instructions I am going to give should only be carried out in cases where urgent help is required and a doctor is not immediately available.
3. If a doctor is available act only on his instructions
4. If in doubt what to do, it is better to do nothing than the wrong thing
5. Remember that your job is first aid and do not try to do more than is immediately necessary. Further treatment is the work of the Medical Officer. if you start his job for him, you will do it wrongly and make it harder for him
6. In most cases no medical equipment will be available, but much can be done by improvisation.

Cuts and Lacerations

1. The two dangers in uncomplicated cases are infection and bleeding
2. All wounds are infected to some extent
3. if it is unlikely that a Medical Officer will be available for several hours, dilute iodine or other antiseptic may be applied, But antiseptics destroy human tissue as well as germs and so delay healing, and so should not be used if the man is soon to be seen by a doctor.
4. The best treatment for most cases is to apply a clean cloth such as a handkerchief and tie it on with any strip of cloth; a strip can b torn form the man's short for use as a bandage.

Haemorrhage (Bleeding)

1. Bleeding can nearly always be stopped by applying a pad of any material, clean if possible, to the point from which the blood seems to be coming. This should be tied on firmly, but not tightly enough to cause numbness.
2. A tourniquet or the application of anything tight round a limb to stop bleeding is dangerous as it causes injury to parts not already injured. This method should only be used when there is severe bleeding from a large artery. In any case the tourniquet must be removed after twenty minutes. It will be found that the bleeding will not start again.
3. A drink is helpful after sever bleeding, i.e. hot, strong, sweet tea or coffee.

Fractures

1. Do not move the patient more than necessary as this causes pain and movement of the broken bone, and may cause the broken bone to cut a blood vessel, or a broken rib to pierce a lung. Send for a doctor. It is better for him to come to the patient than for the patient to be moved to him.
2. The fractured limb should be held rigid by tying a splint to it. Any piece of wood or other long object such as a rifle can be used as a splint. It should be secured to the limb by many bandages or strips of shirt etc. at different levels. But do not tie anything over the actual break.
3. A broken arm should be placed in a sling which can be made out of any piece of cloth.
4. If the patient must be carried, carry him on a flat board such as a table top.

Unconsciousness
This may be due to shock or concussion.

1. Do not move the patient more than necessary.
2. Keep him warm by any possible means.
3. Get him to hospital as quickly as possible.
4. Do not give a drink to an unconscious patient.

Burns

1. Burns cause illness or death due to (1)Shock (2) Infection (3) Loss of fluid from the burned area
2. Make some strong tea, allow it to cool, and pour it gently over the burned area. If tea is not available do not put anything else on.
3. Cover the burn with a clean cloth, and tie it on loosely with a piece of cloth.
4. Give the patient a hot drink.
5. Keep the patient warm to combat shock.

Important

1. Never do anything unless you have a good reason for it. The wrong thing is worse than doing nothing.
2. If a crowd collects and wants to help, send one to fetch a doctor and keep another to help you. Send the rest away. If they all start trying to help the patient will suffer.

Bullets and shrapnel

1. Once a bullet or piece of shrapnel had entered the body it will do no more harm than it already has done, so do not attempt to remove it. This will only cause more damage and possibly start a haemorrhage and will certainly introduce infection into the wound.