The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-23
To Kesuscitate the Drowned.

If doctor can be had immediate,r
well and good; but do not waste mo
ment for one, for moments are precious
under such circumstances. WhenevoT
the body of person is recovered. who
has not been more than thirty minutes
under the water, though seemingly dead
there is possibility that life NAV he ro
stored if the following instructions ara
faithfully carried out;
The first thing to do, when the bodv;,
taken out of the water, is to raise it cen~
thy, and, if water flows from the month
encourage it to do so by favorable NO
sltlon' but do not use any rough or VIC.
lent means, such as rolling it on bar.
rel, or holding it up by the heels, as Is
sometimes ignorantly done. Sncb
treatment is both absurd and iniurionS
and is calculated to extinguish anv To-
tent spark of vitality that may vet linoar
In the frame, for you must recollect tbot
death is not caused by water rusbnr
into the lungs, but by the want of aire
which was excluded by being under wa'
ter. After draining the water from tbo
mouth, as above stated, lay the body on
the right side, the head and bresst
slightly raised; get plank or shutter
and remove the body to the neareet
house, or if no house is near, 70 dr,'
and warm situation. No time sbo,l5
De lost IN doing this. Having cleansed
the mouth and nostrils of froth. mncnS
etc., the next important step (when .
person is found with clothes on) is -
strip the body Of its wet clothes, rub i
quickly dry, and if there is no warm
blanket or bed to be had, cover it owe,
with the spare clothes of the bystandew
Let heat be applied to the body in eyery
possible way, for which purpose the hct
bath will be found the most eGicacious
of any, and should always be employed
when the circumstances of the case viii
admit, but in the absence of such con.
venience, the next application for re.
storing the natural heat, and which can
always be procured, is hot fannels
and hot bricks, The hot bricks.
wrapped up in dry cloth, should be
placed along the limbs and side of the
body, and to the feet. Gentle friction
with the warm flannel should beused all
over the body. If some whisky or
brandy can be had, made warm and
poured on the flannel, it will be more
efficacious. Not more than a few min.
utes should be occupied in putting this
process of restoring heat in operation
In fact, while it is in process an effort to
restore respiration should be used This
is best done by gently opening the
mouth, depress the tongue, and draw it
gently forward; then press the dia-
phragm upward, so as to force out the
air in the lungs, which will be instantly
refllled upon renting the pressure by
air spontaneously rushing in to fill the
vacuum. All that is required, there
fore, being the alternate pressure upon
| the abdomen and chest and its remis-
sion, which process should be repeated
from fifteen to twenty times in minute,
so as to initiate natural breathing as
nearly as possible.
During the attempts to restore respi-
ration, friction with the hot flannel
should be unremittingly applied to the
body, and volatile stimulants (sueh as
| spirits of hartshorn or carbonate of am
monia) held to the nose. If the eve
looks clear and gives the slightest sign
of contraction, and if any natural
warmth of the body is detected, there is
every prospect of restoring Me.
Persevere diligently and hopefully IN
the above treatment for at least hall an
hour, or even more, for, according 10
the reports of the Humane Society OF
London, several lives have been saved
who were submerged in the Thames
over half an hour, and when taken out
remained apparently dead for nearly an
hour.