First aid
First aid is the immediate help given to an injured or suddenly ill person before a doctor or ambulance arrives. Its aims are to save life, prevent the condition getting worse and help recovery.
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Small cut | Wash with clean water, press with a clean cloth to stop bleeding, cover with a clean dressing |
| Heavy bleeding | Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth and raise the limb if you can; get medical help quickly |
| Burn | Cool with clean running water for at least 10 minutes; do not burst blisters or put oil on it |
| Snake bite | Keep the person calm and still, keep the limb at heart level, take them to hospital at once; do not cut the wound or suck out venom |
| Fainting | Lay the person flat and raise the legs; loosen tight clothes; give air |
| Choking | Encourage coughing; if that fails, give firm back blows between the shoulder blades |
Oral rehydration solution (ORS)
Diarrhoea makes the body lose water and salts. Drinking oral rehydration solution replaces them. A home-made ORS uses clean water, a little salt and some sugar. The amounts matter: too much salt is harmful and too much sugar makes diarrhoea worse. ORS sachets from a clinic are the safest choice.
The usual recipe is 6 level teaspoons of sugar and half a level teaspoon of salt in 1 litre of clean (boiled and cooled) water. Change the amounts and see whether the mixture is close to the recipe.
Hazard signs in the laboratory
Chemicals in a school laboratory carry hazard symbols. A red diamond warns of danger. Read the label before you open a container, wear eye protection where needed, and ask your teacher if you are unsure.
Key terms
- First aid
- Immediate help given to an injured or ill person.
- Dehydration
- Loss of too much water from the body.
- ORS
- Oral rehydration solution: water, salts and sugar.
- Antiseptic
- A substance that kills germs on the skin.
Summary
- First aid aims to save life, prevent harm and help recovery.
- Check safety, call for help and treat breathing and bleeding first.
- Cool burns with running water; keep snake bites still and get to hospital.
- ORS replaces water and salts lost in diarrhoea.