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Vintage "What to Do Until the Doctor Comes" First Aid Guide – 1950s
Vintage "What to Do Until the Doctor Comes" First Aid Guide – 1950s
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Description:
This rare and practical booklet, "What to Do Until the Doctor Comes," was published in the 1950s by the General Motors (GM) Personnel Staff as part of their Information Rack Service. Designed to provide employees and their families with essential first-aid knowledge, this guide is a historical artifact of mid-century corporate responsibility and medical awareness.
The cover's simple yet effective design, featuring a medicine cabinet illustration, embodies the aesthetic of the time. Inside, the guide is a treasure trove of emergency first-aid information, with topics including:
- Artificial respiration, burns, fractures, and frostbite.
- Animal bites, poisonous plants, and insect stings.
- Emergency measures for choking, convulsions, and heart attacks.
- Detailed sections on poisoning, including drugs, food, and chemical exposure.
Era & Features:
- Published: 1954 (marked as IR-54-7).
- Publisher: General Motors Personnel Staff.
- Condition: Rated Good, with minor signs of age-related wear and well-preserved pages. The booklet remains fully legible, making it both collectible and practical.
- Special Features: An indexed layout allows for quick reference in emergencies, covering a wide range of topics relevant to the 1950s household and workplace.
Rarity:
As a first-aid guide tailored to GM employees, this booklet is a niche collectible. Its focus on practical advice and the inclusion of dated medical protocols make it appealing to collectors of vintage medical literature, GM memorabilia, and historical ephemera.
Market Trends:
Vintage medical and safety guides have gained traction among collectors due to their historical significance and unique insights into past practices. This item’s connection to a major corporation like GM adds to its value.
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