Halcyon Class Minesweepers HMS Scott
Lifeboat Instructions
 
     
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First Aid in Action

 


First Aid Box Instructions
(For Lifeboat) 

  1. Don’t sing or shout. You will be uncomfortable, but make the best of it and remain cheerful. Your survival depends upon your carrying out your routine duties cheerfully and promptly.
  2. Everyone except wounded and sick must have a job. Watches must be kept.
  3. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE get the boat dry. Then squeeze out all wet clothing, undressing layer by layer. But do not take off all your clothes unless the weather is warm and dry.
  4. Take off boots and socks. Dry feet and put on dry socks if you have any. If not, squeeze out wet ones and replace. Unless feet can be kept thoroughly dry with wrappings and socks, leave your boots on.
  5. Don’t take off too many clothes if the sun is strong. You will get burned. This applies to legs and feet. Wear damped headgear. Don’t use oil or ointments on the skin – they will not protect you. To stop glare use cloth as eyeshade. You may bathe once a day but ware sharks, barracuda etc.

6.  WATER   (i) O i/c muster all supplies at once. Unless sweating don’t drink for 24 hours. If likely to be picked up soon, ration 18 oz per day. Until 1 pint left per man, then 2 oz per day. If likely to be adrift for some time, ration 8 oz per day.

(ii) Catch all the rainwater you can. Use any container. Use first collection to rinse off salt.

(iii) NEVER DRINK Urine or seawater or spirits

7.    FOOD   (i) Officer i/c muster at once. Best foods are fats, chocolate, canned milk, biscuits etc

(ii) Meals at sun-up, noon, sunset.

(iii) Make the most of your water by washing the mouth, gargling, then drinking. If your mouth gets dry between whiles, suck a button.

(iv) Break up the biscuits in your pocket and nibble all day.

(v) Drink canned milk one hour before water ration.

8.   It is unlikely that you will have bowel action or pass much urine while adrift. This is normal

9.   Don’t smoke unless you are a very heavy smoker and feel you cannot do without it.

10.  SLEEP regularly. Huddling together under sail or cover to get warm. NEVER SLEEP ON CARLEY FLOAT.

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE OF CONTENTS OF THE FIRST AID BOX 

ENERGY TABLETS       These lessen fatigue, promote will to hang on and prevent sleep. Effect takes an hour to come on and lasts several hours. Cannot be prolonged more than a few days. (Note: From list of medicines, these tablets appear to be Methodrine). 

IN BOAT: Try to avoid using for the first few days. Then when exhaustion is setting in, give single doses of two tablets to man on tiller or lookout, to keep him awake on his watch. If severe exhaustion overtakes everyone, issue two tablets twice a day. At any time if a special effort is required, give two tablets to each man.  

IN FLOAT: or raft, dinghy etc. If conditions good, use as for boats. If bad, start using right away – two tablets twice or even three times a day. As soon as conditions improve, stop issue.

NEVER give to wounded, excitable, hysterical or delirious.

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DELIRIUM                 Humour the man. See he doesn’t go over the side. 

SEVERE PAIN           Use Morphia tablets, one lasting several hours. Do not repeat unless you must. If he is vomiting or cannot  swallow for other reasons, use ampoules (rip off silver paper, remove ampoule, take out stiletto from needle, stick in arm or leg and squeeze tube). One lasts four hours. Effect immediate. The tablets should be crushed in the mouth before swallowing.  

MILD PAIN               Use Aspirin tablets. 

DROWNING             Use Schafer’s method of artificial respiration. (Place him face down, head to one side. Kneel by side, putting hands on lower ribs, one each side. Lean on him slowly once every five seconds. Keep it up for at least two hours). 

WOUNDS                   Expose wound. Do not touch with fingers or try to remove pieces of metal or bone. Wash with clean water. Don’t worry about oil in the wound – it will disinfect. Sprinkle with sulphanilamide powder and apply field dressing (or if large, shell dressing or dressings). Bandage firmly. Keep dry and do not change.

                                    Can make dressings to size required using gauze soaked in flavine solution (diluted 1 in 9 before use with sea water) cut to size. Put this on wound and cover with cotton wool. Bandage on with a roller bandage. Keep dry and do not change.         

….(omitted from here are the instructions given for dealing with various conditions - Bleeding, Fractures, Burns, Shock, Cracked Skin or Lips, Fever, Vomiting, Swelling of Legs, Frostbite and Immersion Foot).

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Keep  WARM DRY CHEERFUL. KEEP THE BOAT DRY

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Remember that it is exceptional for people to be adrift longer than five days.

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Prepared from BR769, 1944

Source: Extract from report of HMS Scott's Medical Officer R T James 1944  (ADM 101/668)      

     

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This site was last updated 17 Januar 2012