384

DROWNED PERSONS.

again; and this operation may be repeated for some time, alternately inflating and depressing the lungs, so as to imitate naturalrespiration.

If the lungs cannot be inflated in this manner, it may be attempt-ed by blowing through one of the nostrils, and at the same timekeeping the other close. Dr. Monro, for this purpose, recommendsa wooden pipe fitted at one end for filling the nostrils, and at theother for being blown into by a person's mouth, or for receivingthe pipe of a pair of bellows, to be employed for the same purpose,if necessary.

When air cannot be forced into the chest by the mouth or nose,it may be necessary to make an opening into the windpipe for thispurpose. It is needless, however, to spend time in describing thisoperation, as it should not be attempted unless by persons skilledi>; surgery.

It was the practice, some time ago, to employ the smoke oftobacco; but this, instead of answering any good purpose, hasproved injurious, by further depressing the vital principle. Insteadof this, therefore, a clyster is recommended, consisting of a pint ormore of water, moderately warmed, to which may be added alittle rol art le spirit, essence of peppermint, or rectified spirit.

While these tilings are doing, some of the attendants ought tol.e preparing a warm-bath, into which the person should be put, ifthe above endeavours prove ineffectual. Where there are no con-veniences for using the warm-bath, the body may be covered withwarm sand, ashes, grains, or such like. Tissot mentions an instanceof a girl who was restored to life, after she liad been taken out of thewater, swelled, bloated, and to all appearance dead, by laying hernaked body upon hot ashes, covering her with others equally hot,putting a bonnet upon her head, and a stocking round her neck,stuffed with the same, and heaping coverings over all. After she,.had remained half an hour in this situation, her pulse returned,she recovered speech, and cried out, I freeze, 1 freeze : a little cher-ry brandy was given her, and she remained buried, as it were,under the ashes for eight hour»': afterwards she was taken out,without any other complain;, except that of lassitude or weariness,which went off in a few days. The Doctor mentions likewise aninstance of a man who was restored to life, after he had remainedsix hours under water, by the heat of a dunghill.*

When there is reason to suppose that the skin has, in some de-gree, recovered its sensibility, the wrists, ancles, temples, and partsover the stomach and heart may be rubbed with a little volatileliniment, which will evaporate but slowly, and produce no cold onbeing rubbed in. In cases of suspended animation, it has likewisebeen usual to stimulate the stomach and intestines ; the former bymeans of some moderately warm liquor, such as negus highlyspiced, introduced into the organ through a flexible tube, and thelatter by means of injections.

*From some late experiments made by Professor Aldini, of*the university of Bolosn?..on the body of a malefactor, it would appear that galvanism, as an auxiliary, promisesgreat advantages to the interests of humanity, in cases of drowning and other instancesof suspended animation. With this view, also, electricity is sometimes resorted to ;unless, however, employed by insulation alone, it will be more likely to do harm thangood. Ed.