How Girls Can Help Their Country Part 27

Bowed legs come from walking too soon. It does baby good to lie down and kick about, for crawling and climbing exercise his muscles.

The best remedy, if you find a child suffering from convulsions, is to place it in a warm bath, as hot as your bare elbow can endure.

Childhood is the time to form the body; it cannot be altered when you are grown up.

Clothing

Children's clothes should be warm but light, and the feet and legs should be kept warm and dry. To put on their stockings, turn the toe in a little way, and poke the toes into the end, then pull over a little at a time, instead of putting the foot in at the knee of the stocking. Put the left stocking on the right foot next day, so as to change them every day.

Flannelette is made of cotton, so it is not warm like wool, and it catches fire easily, as cotton-wool does.

Rubber is most unhealthful, and causes paralysis. Don't sit on rubber or on oilcloth unless covered, and never put rubber next to the skin.

Thermometers

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To convert a given number of degrees Fahrenheit into Centigrade, deduct 32, multiply by 5, and divide by 9. To convert into Reaumur, deduct 32, multiply by 4, and divide by 9. To convert degrees Centigrade into Fahrenheit, multiply by 9, divide by 5, and add 32. To convert Reaumur into Fahrenheit, multiply by 9, divide by 4, and add 32.

The diagram shows corresponding degrees.

Beat of Pulse per minute

Pulse beat for normal person:

Infant before age of one year, 130 to 115 beats per minute.

Infant up to two years of age, 115 to 130 beats per minute.

Adult, 70 to 80 beats per minute. Adult in old age, 70 to 60 in normal health.

Part V

FIRST AID

The National Red Cross Society award certificates in First Aid to girls over sixteen years old only, but any Girl Scout can win the Girl Scout Ambulance badge by pa.s.sing an examination on the first three chapters of the Woman's Edition of the Red Cross Abridged Text-Book on First Aid.

This training of the Girl Scouts awakens taste for hospital work. The scope of this book is insufficient for a complete course of instruction in hospital work, so it is best for the leaders to have lectures, lessons, and demonstrations. There is danger in a "little knowledge" of such an important subject. So we shall only say that the one important Scout precept of obeying orders is in a hospital of paramount importance. Disobedience is certainly a _crime_.

Nosebleed

Slight nosebleed does not require treatment; no harm results from it.

When severe nosebleed occurs, loosen the collar (do not blow the nose), apply cold to the back of the neck by means of a key or a cloth wrung out in cold water; a roll of paper under the upper lip between it and the gum will help; when bleeding still continues shove a cotton or a gauze plug into the nostrils leaving it there until the bleeding stops.

Eyes

Dust, flies, or cinder in the eye. Get the person's head well back, seize the upper eyelash and pull the upper lid well forward over the lower, press it against the latter as it slips back into place, and if the fly is beneath the upper lid it will be left on the lower lid. If this fails, place a match on the upper eyelid, catch the eyelashes and turn the lid over the match, and if you can see the cause of the trouble remove it with the corner of a handkerchief or use a camel's-hair brush.

A drop of castor-oil in the eye soothes it afterwards. For lime in the eye use a weak solution of vinegar and water.

FIRST AID TO INJURED

Fire const.i.tutes a danger, especially if there is a panic where the fire starts. Never throw away a lighted match, it may fall on inflammable material and start fire. Reading in bed is dangerous, as if you go to sleep the bed-clothes may catch fire. If you must dry your clothes by a fire watch them carefully.

Cut away all dry gra.s.s around a fire in camp.

Never carry a light into a room that smells strongly of escaped gas; never handle gunpowder with matches in your pocket.

How to Put out Fire

If your clothing catches fire don't run for help, that will fan the flames; lie down, roll up in an overcoat or rug. If nothing can be found to roll about you, roll over slowly beating out the flames with your hands. If another person is on fire throw him on the ground and smother the fire with a rug away from the face.

What to Do in Case of Fire

Show coolness and presence of mind; throw water (a few bucketfuls will often put out the fire), or blankets, woolen clothing, sand, ashes, dirt, or even flour on fire.

If you discover a fire sound the alarm on the street fire-alarm post, or telephone to the Fire Department. The doors of a house or a room that is on fire should be closed to prevent draughts spreading the flames.

While searching a burning house tie a wet handkerchief over the nose and mouth. Remember that within six inches of the floor there is no smoke; when you have difficulty in breathing, crawl along the floor with the head low, dragging any one you have rescued behind you. Tie the insensible person's hands together and put them over your head. You can then crawl along the floor dragging the rescued person with you.

Never jump from the window unless the flames are so close that it is your only means of escape. If outside a burning building put mattresses and bedding piled high to break the jumper's fall and get a strong rug to hold, to catch the jumper, and let many people hold the rug. In country districts organize a bucket brigade; two lines of girls from water to fire--pa.s.s buckets, jugs, tumblers, or anything that will hold water from girl to girl and throw water on the fire, pa.s.sing buckets back by another line of girls.

Rescue from Drowning

There are four practical methods of bringing a drowning person to land.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 1]

1. If quiet, turn him on his back, and grip him by the head so that the palms of the hands cover the ears, and swim on the back. Keep his face above water (Fig. 1).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2]

2. In case of struggling, turn him on his back. Then grip his arms just above the elbows and raise them until they are at right angles to his body, and swim on the back (Fig. 2).