St. Landry democrat., 1879-05-03
DROWNING NOT DEA1H.
New Theory ON the Subject that Merle


The New York Post has an article
from DR.. T. S. Lambert upon drowning,
which merits attention. He understands
drowning not to be death, but suspended
animation. 1t may and does become
death, but only after certain time.
When persons browns, water does not
60 into and fill the lungs, as is commonly
supposed. The same acti n of the Organs
that prevents water getting into the
wrong throat" prevents it when we
drown. The breathing is stopped; this
stops the action of the heart, and the
blood presses on the brain, and uncon-
seriousness ensues. The animal heat
passes away, the fatty parts of the body
become hard and the whole organization
rigid. In this cond ition the lungs have
lost their power to expand, the heart
cannot beat, the veins cannot convey the
blood. Up to the time the changes
occur that annihilate life, DR., Lambert
considers recovery from drowning or
other forms of sufocation possible. Va
rious facts led him to this conclusion.
Drowned flies, put in the Sun, recover
and fly away. A hen, partly froz IN and
! wholly drowned, recovered on being put
by steve. Other hens were drowned
to test this fact, and rec >vered by being
made warm. A cat drowned, then left
in the sun, recovered. A dog was in
tentionally drowned three different
times, once twenty minutes under the
water; each time he recovered on being
laid in the hot sun. DR.. Lambert has
brought to life eight persons, who had
been drowned, using only heat as the
means of recovery. The doctor gives
six rules for the recovery of drowned
persons:
l. A recently drowned person is not
dead knowing that, be hopeful, be cool,
and be prompt,
2. When the drowned person is taken
out of the water, turn his face down, for
a moment only, to ALLOW any water IN
the nose or throat to run out. There is
no water in the lungs, consequently no
rolling on barrel, to get out what is not
in, is required; what has been swallowed
into the stomach will do no harm. Lay
the patient out of currents of air, upon
the back, the head slightly raised.
8. If he has to be removed to where
heat can be applied, keep the head and
body in the above position during the
removal.
If there must be delay before heat
can be re: ehed, take off the wei clothes
and wrap around the patient dry articles
from the bystanders' apparel; several
thickness a,e best.
S. AS coon as heat is at hand, apply ii
as ingenuity and circumstances suggest
to be most likely to quickly and thoroubly
warm the body. When that is accom-
plished, theory and fact agree in assur-
ing us that, if life yet persists, the heart
will begin to beat, happily soon followed
by breathing, both teebly and un re-
quently at first, but more strongly and
faster until they become natural, when
consciousness will return. If the heart
gives one bsat, or the lungs one gasp, no
more need be done; keep the person
warm and he will soon be all right"
6. Sufocation in any other manner
should be treated in the same way, ex-
cept that in choking and in strangling
the substances causing these conditions
should be first removed and in case of
breathing poisonous gas or smoke, arti>
fetal respiration should first be tried
until the gas or smoke has been changed
for good air in the lungs. Heat may be
used by soaking blankets or other articles
in hot water and applying them; put
ting bottles of hot water to the feet;
hot dry blankets, and even lying in a
hot sun or before fire with heat ap-
piled to the extremities, may be resorted
to. The thing is to apply heat to the
whole surface of the body as soon as pos
sible-taking the tea or coffee from the
pot on the table az it is handiest-and to
10 it by the means most readily access
'ible as circumstances will allow and the
Judgment directs.
The means here directed are simple,
md the reader who retains recollection s
If them may some day be the instru>
nent of saving life. ,
DON'T Be Too Fresh. l.