The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-18 00:00:00

DROWNED;

Send immediately for medical assistance, blankets, and
dry clothing, but proceed to treat the patient instantly on
the spot, in the open air, with the face downward, whether
on shore or afloat; exposing the tage, neck, end cilie44 to
the wind, except in severe weather, and removing all tight
clothing from the neck and chest, especially the bdes.
The points to be aimed at are—first and immediately, the
restoration of breathing; and secondly, after breathing is
restored, the promotion of warmth and circulation. The
efforts to restore breathing must be commenced immediately
and energetically, and persevered in for one or two hours,
or until a medical man has pronounced that life is extinct.
Efforts to promote warmth and circulation, beyond remov-
ing the wet clothes and drying the skin, roust not be made
until the first appearance of natural breathing. For if cir-
culation of the blood be induced before breathing has re-
commenced, the restoration to life will be endangered.
H.— TO RESTORE BREATHING.

Place the patient on the floor or ground with the face
downwards and one of the arms under the forehead, in which
position all fluids will more readily cscapelby ,the mouth,
and the tongue itself will fall forward, leaving the entrance
into the windpipe free. Assist this operation by wiping
and cleansing the mouth. If satisfactory breathing com-
mences, use the treatment prescribed below to promote
warmth. If there be only slight breathing, or no breathing
or if the breathing fail, then, to excite breathing, turn the
patient well and instantly on the side, supporting the head,
and excite the nostrils with snuff, hartshorn, and smelling
salts, or tickle the throat with a feather, &c., if they are at
hand. Rub the chest and face warm, and dash cold water,
or cold and hot water alternately, on them. If there be no
subcess, lose not a moment, but instantly—to initiate
breathing—replace the patient on the face, raising and sup-
porting the chest well on a folded coat or other articles of
dress. Turn the body very gently on the side and a little
beyond, and then briskly on the face, back again, repeating
these measures cautiously, efficiently, and perseveringly
about 15 times in the minute, or once every four or five
seconds, occasionally varying the side. On each occasion
that the body is replaced en the face, make uniform but
efficient pressure with brisk movement en the back between
and below the shoulder-blades or bones on each side, re-
moving the pressure immediately before turning the body
on the side. During the whole operation let one person
attend solely to the movements of the head, and of the arm
placed under it. Whilst the above operations are being
proceeded with, dry the hands and feet; and as soqn as dry
clothing or blankets can be procured, strip the body and
cover, or gradually reclothe it, but taking care not to inter-
fere with the efforts to restore breathing.

Should these efforts not prove successful in the course of
from two or five minutes, proceed to imitate breathing by
Dr. Silvester's method, as follows :—Place the patient on
the back on a flat surface, inclined a little upwards from
the feet; raise and support the head and shoulders on a
small firm cushion or folded article of dress placed undor
the shoulder-blades. Draw forward the patient's tongue,
and keep it projecting beyond the lips : an elastic band over
the tongue and vnder the chin will answer this purpose, or
a piece of string or tape may be tied round them, or by rais-
ing the lower jaw the teeth may be made to retain the
tongue in that position. Remove all tight clothing from
about the neck and chest, especially the braces. To imitate
the movements of breathing—Standing at the patient's
head, grasp the arms just above the elbows, and draw the
arms gently and steadily upwards above the head, and
keep them stretched upwards of two seconds. (By this
means air is pressed out of the lungs.) Repeat the mea-
sures alternately, deliberately, and perseveringly about 15
times in a minute until a spontaneous effort to respire is
perceived, immediately upon which case to imitate the
movements of breathing and proceed to induce circulation
and warmth.

IV.-TREATMENT AFTER NATURAL BREATHING HAS BEEN:

RESTORED.

Commence rubbing the limbs upwards with firm grasp-
ing pressure and energy, using handkerchiefs, flannels, &c.
(by this measure the blood is propelled along the veins to-
wards the heart). The friction must be continued under
the blanket or over the dry clothing. Promote the warmth
of the body by the application of hot flannels, bottles, or
bladders of hot water, heated bricks, &e., to the pit of the
stomach, the arm pits, between the thighs, and to the soles
of the feet. If the patient has been carried to a house after
respiration hes been restored, be careful to let the air play
freely about the rem. On the restoration of life, a tea-
spoonful of warm water should be given ; and then, if the
power of swallowing have returned, small quantities of whit),
warm brandy and water, or coffee, should be administered.
The patient should be kept in bed, and a dsposition b sleep
encouraged.
APPEARANCES WHICH GENERALLY ACCOMPANY DEATH.

Breathing and the heart's action cease entirely; the eye:,
lids are generally half closed, the pupils dilated, the jaws
clenched, the fingers semi-contracted, the tongue approaches
to the under edges of the lips, and these, as well as the
nostrils, are covered with a frothy mucus, Coldness and
pallor of surface increase.