The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-02
RESUSCITiTING THE DROWNED
DIR. Lamberrs Method Given with Fuller
neinlI. Lhnn In Lhnt Interview.

To THE EDITOR OF THE StN-Sir; In
THE SUN Of Sunday the 25th ut. was Il part Of
an interview with me. Unless the subject had
prominent importance should let the errors
pass. Evidently the reporters sympathy for
the dog made him in part overlook the real
matter of conference.-the mode II restoring
man. AS u spectator only | Witnessed the
restoration Of the man hanged. Electricity was
the only means used in his restoration. think
that his heart lad ceased To- beat more than two
minutes before he was given into the hands Of
the physician.lio whom he had sold his body for
the tobacco that hc wanted to use while in
prison. In his casc there was evidently mere
suf0cation. There was not direct fall.
and the effect upon his brain was not
sufficient to cause concussion. The rope
apparently produced the effect II strangulntiun
only. by the way. II Is not probable that the
neck Is cver broken hy the falling Of the person
hanged. Death IL then caused usually by CON
cussion of the brain. L. case.o self hanging
conclusion IL rare. There is usnlly only
stranEulation. and rosuscitntion should be tried
IN tho same way ~ ia case of drowning. 10
also in casc Of suiIOcition from smoke, ear
bonc acid or other gus, from the pressure of u
crowd or ot falling buildings or cuving earth.
provided there has boon no injury from blows
or otherwise except sultocation. Ia all these
cn-cs there are the SAM three factors tending
to induce death. Mark these words: Death does
not occur for some TIM after It il supposed To
De produced IN ihrse cuses Thc FIRST motor is
the cessation Of breathing; the second the COS
sation OF heart beating and of the circulation oi
blood; the third inctor Is the cooling Of the
body which. Of course. takes place more rap
idly in cool wafer than in cool air. and much
moro rapidly than in warm air. Ia restoration
| these factors must hr regarded In the reverse
order. First see To- warming the body. the heat
ing OF which Will, 10y acting ON the nervous ccn-
tres. excite circulation. tho effect Of which Will
betO excite the res pratiOn: Tor us res pirution
| ceisus before circulation in drowning. 40 does
circulation commence before respiration in re-
| In case Of water. smoke. or o;hcr substances
| tending To enter the winduiuc. II Is closed, and
no such substances nre admitted. This ~ m
! Involuntary u"t. the upper hart Of the windpipc
rising asalnst th" under back part oi the tongue,
4 us when Il person swallows food or drink. No
water. therefore. can pass into the lungs in case
| of drowning. nor is there any thcrc. Therefore
| person should be laid down gently. without his
| head hanging down and without rolling him
! on barrel or using any other rough treatment.
| II he has been suiocatDd only lew minutes.
| smart snap or Two uIon the shoulders, dnSh
OF "a glass 81 water IA the face. or a tickling Of
! any part oil the BODY may excite the nervous
| centres. then the clrcualloh' theh respiration
| and thus induce restoration. But II the body
| has begun to lose heat. hnsty preparation
! should be made. III the best manner the clrcun-
| stances will permit. 20 warm the person lfhcai
| IL not near. ana cannot be produced on the spot
| take the person where It can be had as soon ~
! possible. and begin 20 apply It ~ soon and as
! thoroughly rs possible. II there be- hot water
and blankets wrap IT," body IN them. and kcrr
| them Wet with water as hot as the hand Will
bear. Snects. coyerlids. carpet. OF Other things
! VIII serve. or. II none are 10 lie had. icy tho
clothing OF the person rrnuin ON niul. ana Wei
that with hot water; or tic clothing OF other
! persons am be- pat un the drowned person. and
| kcIt hot with warm water.
The same principles prevail i'm all cases OF
sun1caiiou. / noticed IN THE SuN that near
| O-wego sand bans caVed III upon four persons
| " one was taken cut alive: the other three wer'
dead" Probably those three could have been
| r.-uScitutrd. Iury were not dpad when taken
! ont They n ight have remained IN such q nos L
| tion for hours without dying. Dying does moi
| taec place. | think. unti. decomposition ~ci- in
A. least Efforts toward iesusoitntion should Doe
made Tor hours alter the -unp'Htion has occur
| red lhe longest Time thui myself nave seer
| elulsc between SuilOrafiuu and restoration wa,
wn.rc the man ad be-, u IN the wAtr ah houl
amt hito"n 10 twenty minutes. Han an houl
elapsed before was hy hi. side. l. tier" an,
USE OF doing anything more? H. has been rplle,
on barrel, said the Captain ~ the steamboat
" can try, was my reply. This wns IN 1913
! beihought myself oil the hot water IN th'
hot water were brought. The drowned peers u
was stout and hearty. Ina little moro than %
hour ~ Easpcdi IN a couile OF hours more h
morning was helping unl Dad the boat at Buffalo
In the case mentioned by your reporter IA
restored by Dr. Lynch. an eyewitness assures
mo that not loss than an hour and "A half clnpsct
from the time when lac saw the man iall INT,
and IN" time when DR.. Lynch began toapliy the
hot water toward his restoration in tho hou~'
9i Tn man IA Tenth street. between Third AM
FOURTH ave urr. Inc Doctor was very Thought
ful Ia tear up the carpet wrap II about the man
and send at once To- all III" nei-hborS for Pc
water The nan in this case was restored u
| less than an hour
Two other casrs ~ drowning have boon 70
| once re~uS 'ltated under my uYn care. IuuNlu
| Jour certainly known; whi." la no cd,c ~
many experiments Oh animals have ever seci
the process hl nor in any ca.c a.
/ man that | have known has ii failed
1t can bee used without especial or profo So onn
| knowledge. and. il occasionally only ~uooc-sii
il Will bc better than anything Of which hay
| heard this year. In IN" cise II tho boy Nn
suflocatcd himself In the prison. last winter
warm applications 10 his feet aud hands wer
sufficient. When brought into tho corridor j.
mad ceased to breathe and the pulse and Ia
heart had ceased TO beat HIS hands and Zee
only were growing cold rs yet; his trunk WI
| quite warm. | therefore directed that cloth
dipped in hot water be applied to his hands an
feet only. Their Application almost Instant
excited the beating oi the heart. ana very quick
" aftcrward. 81 course. he began to breath,
| The reporter seemed TO think when the open
ing Of the windpipe Of the do. WAS mentiono
that something very severe had been done; lu
II he will ask any physician he will learn tina
the cutting OF the windppe IL II perfectly SAT
operation. ~ many intending suicides hay
proved. II only enabled them To breathe III
easier, The wound closes soon without dan
ger. Respectfully. Il. :. LAMBERT.