Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-08-05
Treatment Of the Drowned.

Two things are to be dOne-restOre
Neutrality-suspicious. animal heat.
B,warel Avoid delay. AmOment may
turn the scale for life or death. Dry
ground. shelter, warmth, stimulants, etc.
at this momeut are nothing. Artificial
breathing is everything-is the one rem
edy-alf others are secondary.
Rule l. Remove all distractions to
breathing. Instantly loosen or cut
apart all neck and wristbands; turn the
patient on his face with his head down
hill; stand astride the hips, with your
face towards his head. and locking your
fingers together under his belly, raise
the BODY as high as you can, without lift
ing the forehead off the ground. and give
the body smart jerk, to remove mucus
from the throat and water from the
windpipe; hold the body suspended lOug
enough to slowly count one, TWO, three,
four, five, repeating the jerk, more gem
thy, three or four times.
Rule 2. Place the patient on the
ground, face downward, and maintain
ing, all the while, your position astride
the body, grasp the points of the shOul-
ders by the clothing. or, il the body is
naked, thrust your fingers into the arm
pits, clOsplng your thumbs over the
points of the shoulders, and raise the
chest as high as you can, without lifting
the head quite off the ground, and hold
1t long enough to slowly count one, two,
three. Replace him on the ground, with
his forehead on his fixed arm. the neck
Strengthened out, and the mouth and
nose free. Place your elbows against
your knees and your hands upon the
sides of his chest over the lower ribs,
and press downward and inward with
increasing force long enough to slowly
count one, two. Then suddenly let 90,
grasp the shoulders as before and raise
the chest; then press upon the ribs, etc.
These alternate movements should be re-
peated ten or fifteen times minute, for
an hour at least. unless breathing is re-
stored sooner. Use the same regularity
as in natural breathing.
Rule 3. After breathing has cOmmenc-
ed, restore the animal heat. Wrap him
in warm blankets, apply bottles of hot
water, hot bricks, or anything to restore
heat. Warm the head nearly as fast as
the body, lest commissions come on. Rub
bling the body with warm cloths or the
hand, and Shaping the feshy parts,
may assist to restore warmth and breath
ing also. If the patient can surely swal-
low, give hot coffee, tea, milk, or little
hot sling. Give spirits sparingly lest
they produce depression. Place the pa.
tient in warm Ded and give him plen-
ty of fresh air; keep him quiet.
Do not stop to remove wet clothing.
Precious time Is wasted and the patient
may be fatally chilled by exposure of
the naked body even in summer. Give
80 nd of IN
breathing by forcing air in and out of
the lungs. If the breathing has just
ceased, smart slap on the face or Wig
orous twist of the hair will sometimes
start it again, and may be tried inciden.
tally.
Before natural breathing is fully re-
stored, do not let the patient lie on his
back, unless some person holds the
tongue forward. The tongue. by falling
back, may close the windpipe and cause
fatal choking.
Do not give up too sOOn-yOu are Work
ing for life. Any time within two hours
you may be on the very threshold of sue
cess without there being any sign OF 1T.
Prevent friends from crOwding around
the patient and excluding air-also from
trying to give stimulants before the pa
tient can swallow. The first causes suf
location, the second fatal choking.
In suffOcatiOn by smoke or any poison
GUS gas, as also by hanging, proceed tn
same as for drowning, emitting effort t
expel water, ETC., from windpipe.
Mr.. Amos Bradley, Rochester N.
says: As sure cure'for nervous debillt
and general decay of the system, l cal
recommend Browns Iron Bitters as
medicine that will give prompt reliel