Re: CPR Patch - Before CPR
jay.thal (jay.thal@TCS.WAP.ORG)
Sun, 15 Aug 1999 12:00:38 +0000
Remember "artificial respiration"? It was administered with the victim
in a prone position which allowed water to be pumped out of the lungs
during the process. It was taught to Scouts for victims of asphyxiation
- drowning, burial, electrocution, etc. Little thought was given to
saving people with cardiac arrest.
Historically victims of drowning people were placed on barrels and
rolled back and forth in order to get the water out of the lungs. That
corresponds to Dr. Heimlich's advocacy of abdominal thrusts to evacuate
the water before commencing CPR - a technique not yet adopted by the AHA
or ARC.
CPR (with the victim in the supine position) added the opportunity of
aiding people in non-asphyxition cases of cardiac arrest. It's real
value is maintaining air flow and circulation until an EMT can arrive
and shock the heart back into rythm.
But, the last three paragraphs were a digression from patches.
I have a BSA patch which I remember wearing on the right sleeve of a
long-sleeved Explorer shirt. It's 2" x 4", of what I believe is red
wool felt. On it is a lightning bolt superimposed over the green cross
centered in a white life-ring, again superimposed over a nearly 2" x 2"
gold Scout Fleur-de-lis. In black lettering it reads: "Emergency Service
Explorer". I earned it in south Florida.
Anyone know the history of this patch, and the Emergency Service
Explorer?
YiWWSWd,
Jay
