First-Aid Friday: Don't Be So Nosey!

This is one for the kids! (And a request we had)

Owch, I bet that hurt!


- Geeker

We're Back!

 It's been a long month and thankfully we're now back and ready to post!

To compensate, here's a recent summary on a video I watched, by the TED Talks.

“This gel can make you stop bleeding instantly”

The concept of bleeding is one of the most significant aspects of care, treatment and even diagnostics in medicine.  For hundreds of years physicians have battled with preventing bleeds and treating severe cases of trauma. For this reason, the idea of an instant bleed-relief gel is absolutely incredible. Joe Landolina (an American inventor and biomedical engineer) introduces TED’s audience to the concept of this fascinating notion by plunging them into the field of war.

He requests for us to imagine being an injured soldier with a severe femoral bleed – and immediately addresses that this fatal wound can kill within three minutes. To make matters worse, the medic’s utensils and treatment methods can take up to five minutes to begin affect, leaving the possibility of death almost inevitable. With this idea accounted, Joe describes the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and its role in the body; being responsible for healing. He accounts that other products on the market are only two-dimensional functioning on the ECM and does not ‘fit’ into its structure. Yet, his new product, Vetigel made from “small pieces of plant derived polymers” re-assembles itself into the wound and its local tissue – working with the body to clot in less than ten seconds.

Joe proposes that it should be out for release for human use within the “next year” (2015). To conclude, he refers back to the first initial image of the soldier and describes the simplicity of treatment that Vetigel could propose.

The concept is absolutely captivating and completely intrigues all members of the general public, with an interest of medicine or not.

Interested? Here's the video




- Geeker

First-Aid Friday: Burns!

Owch! Hope you didn't burn yourself on Shrove Tuesday!


- Geeker

First-Aid Friday: Scenario

Thought I'd try something different this First-Aid Friday, again..

• Can you spot all the dangers?
• How would you treat the casualties?
• What would you do in this scenario?

- Geeker

First-Aid Friday: Passing Exams!

Good news! Yesterday, I passed my St John Ambulance first-aid exams!

Luckily I didn't faint, but I can't say the same for this week's casualty!


- Geeker

First-Aid Friday: Asthma!

 Asthma now, do you kmow what to do?


- Geeker

First-Aid Friday: Shocked?

Last week we discussed how to treat an allergic reaction, now - do you know how to treat shock?



For those of you who can't see the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY24QL49TXQ

- Geeker