VOA慢速英语 2008 0527b

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Learning First Aid: What to Do Until You Reach Medical Help
A guide to common emergencies such as choking, heart stoppage, accidental poisonings and severe bleeding. Transcript¹ of radio broadcast:
26 May 2008

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty². This week, get ready for a short guide to first aid.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:
　

A first aid kit3

Doctors in hospital emergency rooms often see accidental poisonings. A frightened parent arrives with a child who swallowed a cleaning liquid. Or perhaps the harmful substance is a medicine. Or it might be a chemical product meant to kill insects. These are common causes of accidental poisoning.

In cases like this, seek medical help as soon as possible. Save the container of whatever caused the poisoning. And look on the container for information about anything that stops the effects of the poison.

Save anything expelled from the mouth of the victim. That way, doctors can examine it.

VOICE TWO:

In the past, some people forced poisoning victims to empty the stomach. They used a liquid, syrup⁴ of ipecac, to do this. But an organization of children’s doctors no longer advises parents to keep syrup of ipecac. The American Academy of Pediatrics says some poisons can cause additional damage when they come back up the throat.

VOICE ONE:

Millions of people know a way to save a person who is choking on something trapped in the throat. The method is commonly known as the Heimlich Maneuver⁵ or abdominal⁶ thrusts.

The American Red Cross says a rescuer should first hit the person on the back five times between the shoulder bones. These back blows may ease the choking. If the airway⁷ is still blocked, the Red Cross suggests pushing hard five times along the victim's abdomen⁸. The abdomen is the area between the chest and the hip⁹ bones.

VOICE TWO:

You can do these abdominal thrusts by getting directly behind a sitting or standing¹⁰ person. Put your arms around the victim's waist. Close one hand to form a ball. Place it over the upper part of the stomach, below the ribs¹¹. Place the other hand on top. Then push forcefully inward and upward. Repeat the abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled from the mouth.

For someone who is pregnant or very fat, place your hands a little higher than with normal abdominal thrusts. Place them at the base of the breastbone -- just above the place where the lowest ribs join. Then begin pushing, as with other victims.

VOICE ONE:

If you are the person choking, you cannot strike your back. But you can still help yourself. Place a closed hand over the middle of your abdomen just above your waist. Take hold of that hand with your other hand. Find a hard surface like a chair and rest your body on it. Then push your closed hand in and up.

Red Cross experts say taking these steps can save many lives. But they also warn that abdominal thrusts are not for people who have almost drowned. They say use of the method could delay other ways to re-start breathing in the victim. Abdominal thrusts should be used only in cases where a near-drowning victim is choking on an object.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

CPR is cardiopulmonary resuscitation¹². It forces air into the lungs and pumps blood and oxygen to the brain. Doctors say C.P.R. greatly increases the chances that a person whose heart stops will survive. It increases the chances that he or she will suffer little or no brain damage.

Recently, the American Heart Association amended¹³ its advice about aiding a person suspected of suffering a heart attack. The group says the amendments¹⁴ resulted because studies show that the changed way could be more effective. It also could make people more willing to attempt rescue efforts.

VOICE ONE:

The new American Heart Association method is called “Hands-Only C.P.R.” The group tells how to recognize a person needing C.P.R. The group says the person has collapsed¹⁵. The patient is unconscious -- unable to communicate or react to surroundings or speech. His or her skin has lost color. The person is not breathing. If such conditions describe the situation, chances are the heart has stopped beating.

The American Heart Association directs advice to people unwilling¹⁶ or unable to perform rescue breathing. Some people fear infection. Others say they are afraid of making the patient worse.

VOICE TWO:

But the lead writer of one of the studies of C.P.R. says a person cannot be worse than dead. Doctor Michael Sayre works at Ohio State University. He strongly urges people in contact with a victim to take action.

Doctor Sayre says call for help, or send someone else. Even if you cannot do mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing, you can perform Hands-Only C.P.R. You can do chest compressions that help to keep blood flowing to the brain, heart and other organs.

To perform the compressions, place one hand over the other and press firmly on the center of the victim’s chest. Push down about five centimeters. Aim for one hundred compressions per minute. But Doctor Sayre says you do not need a measuring stick or a timing¹⁷ device.

VOICE ONE:

If the heart does not start beating, continue with chest compressions until help arrives. For a choking victim who is unconscious with no heartbeat, clear the airway first. Then do chest compressions.

Doctor Sayre still suggests that health experts do both the breathing method and chest compressions. He says some victims, including babies, need the mouth-to-mouth breathing with the compressions. Still, the doctor says it is better to do just chest compressions than to do nothing.

C.P.R. is not difficult to learn. Many organizations teach it.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Most C.P.R. training now includes how to use an automated¹⁸ external defibrillator, or A.E.D. Such devices are increasingly found in public places. A recorded voice guides the user. Defibrillators use electric shocks to correct abnormal heartbeats that can lead to sudden death.

But a recent report compared the effectiveness of defibrillators with rescue efforts by someone skilled at C.P.R. Scientists at the Seattle Institute of Cardiac Research and the University of Washington prepared the report.

VOICE ONE:

The researchers wanted to see if defibrillators could save lives. They studied seven thousand heart patients. Each person taking part had someone available in the home to give C.P.R.

Defibrillators were placed in the homes of half of the patients. In case of emergency, families in the defibrillator group were told to use the device first, before calling for help or performing C.P.R. The other families were told to call emergency services, then use C.P.R. The results were reported after an average of three years. They showed that the defibrillators provided no more protection from death than a person skilled in C.P.R.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Bacteria can enter the body through even the smallest cut in the skin. So medical experts advise people to treat all wounds. Clean the cut with soap and water. Then cover the wound while it heals.

If bleeding is severe, doctors at the Mayo Clinic health centers suggest several steps. First, if possible, have the person lie down and raise the victim’s legs. Remove dirt from the wound and press on it with a clean cloth or piece of clothing. If you cannot find anything clean, use your hand.

Keep putting pressure on the wound until the bleeding stops or medical help arrives. Do not remove the cloth if the blood comes through it. Instead, put another cloth on top and continue pressure. If the bleeding does not stop with direct pressure, put pressure on the artery¹⁹ that carries blood to the wound.

VOICE ONE:

In the past, people were advised to stop severe bleeding with a tourniquet²⁰. This device is made with a stick and a piece of cloth or a belt. But experts now say tourniquets²¹ are dangerous because they can crush blood passages and nerves.

If a wound seems infected, let the victim rest. Physical activity can spread the infection. Treat the wound with a mixture of salt and water until medical help arrives. Add nine and one-half milliliters of salt to each liter of boiled water. Place a clean cloth in the mixture and then put the cloth on the wound. But be sure not to burn the skin.

VOICE TWO:

To learn more about first aid, ask a hospital or organization like a Red Cross or Red Crescent Society for information. There may be training classes offered in your area.

If you know first aid treatments, you can be calmer and more helpful in case of emergency.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Jerilyn Watson and produced by Brianna Blake. I'm Barbara Klein.

VOICE TWO:

And I'm Bob Doughty. Listen again next week for more news about science in Special English on the Voice of America.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

4 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

5 maneuver   

n.策略[pl.]演习；v.(巧妙)控制；用策略

参考例句：

• All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后，所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
• I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。

6 abdominal   

adj.腹（部）的，下腹的；n.腹肌

参考例句：

• The abdominal aorta is normally smaller than the thoracic aorta.腹主动脉一般比胸主动脉小。
• Abdominal tissues sometimes adhere after an operation.手术之后腹部有时会出现粘连。

7 airway   

n.空中航线，通风口

参考例句：

• Lay them on their side and ensure the airway is unobstructed.让他们侧躺着，并确保呼吸道畅通。
• There is a purple airway in London Airport.伦敦机场里有一条皇家专用飞机跑道。

8 abdomen   

n.腹，下腹(胸部到腿部的部分)

参考例句：

• How to know to there is ascarid inside abdomen?怎样知道肚子里面有蛔虫？
• He was anxious about an off-and-on pain the abdomen.他因时隐时现的腹痛而焦虑。

9 hip   

n.臀部，髋；屋脊

参考例句：

• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。
• The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line.新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

10 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

11 ribs   

n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹

参考例句：

• He suffered cracked ribs and bruising. 他断了肋骨还有挫伤。
• Make a small incision below the ribs. 在肋骨下方切开一个小口。

12 resuscitation   

n.复活

参考例句：

• Despite attempts at resuscitation,Mr Lynch died a week later in hospital.虽经全力抢救，但林奇先生一周以后还是在医院去世了。
• We gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and heart massage.我们对他进行了口对口复苏救治和心脏按摩。

13 Amended   

adj. 修正的 动词amend的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He asked to see the amended version. 他要求看修订本。
• He amended his speech by making some additions and deletions. 他对讲稿作了些增删修改。

14 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

15 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。

16 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

17 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

18 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

19 artery   

n.干线，要道；动脉

参考例句：

• We couldn't feel the changes in the blood pressure within the artery.我们无法感觉到动脉血管内血压的变化。
• The aorta is the largest artery in the body.主动脉是人体中的最大动脉。

20 tourniquet   

n.止血器，绞压器，驱血带

参考例句：

• Twist the tourniquet tighter.把止血带扎紧点。
• The tourniquet should occlude venous and lymphatic return.止血带应阻断静脉及淋巴回流。

21 tourniquets   

n.止血带( tourniquet的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Can tourniquets be used in patients with sickle cell disease? 止血带能否用于镰状细胞病患者？ 来自互联网
• Fig. 1-1 A, Straight (rectangular) tourniquets fit optimally on cylindrical limbs. 图1-1A直（长方形）止血带最适合用于柱状的肢体。 来自互联网