Medical Equipment and First Aid

No one wants to be sick; it means that everybody expects to be in good health. Sometimes germs that cause disease enter the body unknown; they need a long time to go away. We cannot avoid being sick and it can happen to anyone. In this case, we should "have an umbrella before it rains". This means that we should have first aid before getting medical treatment from a doc­ tor. It may lessen the pain and prevent the germs from spreading and getting worse.

However, some people still use simple equipment. For instance, they heat a needle then they use it to remove infections; they use a smoke-filled glass to recover from stomachache; they touch their forehead to know the temperature of their body, etc. They do this because they do not have medical equipment in their house.

It is important to have medical equipment at home. It can be used by the family to give first aid to the sick. The medical equipment includes thermometer, rubber compress, scissors, tweezers, pipette, flash light, bandages, plasters, etc. A thermometer is used to know the body temperature.

On the other hand, every family should also have some medicines such as aspirin, iodine, eyedrops, and so on. These medicines sometimes seem enough for first aid. However, it is not complete without medical equipment. For example besides needing iodine for cleaning a cut, we also need bandages or plasters to cover it. Both medicine and medical equipment are necessary for first aid.

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Labuhan Sesaji, Traditional Ceremonies

     Labuhan Sesaji is held once a year. The people throw offerings to the sea to please the goddess of the South -Sea, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. The people do it to celebrate the King of Yogyakarta's Coronation Day.

     This traditional ceremony is carried out at three places. The places are Parang Kusuma, Mount Lawu and Mount Merapi. On the last day of the ceremony at Parang Kusuma, the people leave to climb Mount Merapi and Mount Lawu to have a ceremony there.

    Tradition means beliefs or customs passing from one generation to the next. Labuhan has existed for a long time. It first happened after Raden Suto Wijoyo, the King of the Mataram Kingdom, sided with Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the evil queen who lived in the South Sea.

    They met when Panembahan Senopati lived as a hermit at Parang Kusumo Beach. Suddenly, a beautiful girl came. She was the Evil Queen of the South Sea, Kanjeng Ratu Kidul. A handsome boy met a beautiful girl. What happened? They loved each other forever.

     In celebrating Labuhan, the people wear traditional costumes. Men wear a 'destar' hat and coat with closed collar, jas tutup'. He also carries a "keris"-a traditional weapon of the people from Yogyakarta. The woman wears a long blouse worn over the kain or skirt. The costumes are batik-both man and woman wear the same colourful batik.

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