The record-union., 1891-08-29

SAOhANl
Sylvester method Of man. pulation, and
with that and other treatment restored
the man to life, though respiration had
ceased, no heart action could be detected,
the eyes had closed and the pupils con-
tracted, and the surface of the body was
becoming cold
The Marshall Hall method of manipu-
lation is another, and by most physicians
believed to be the better system, and DR..
Burial does not disagree with them,
while not abandoning the Sylvester
method as the more easy of application.
At the conclusion of the paper the doc
tor says:
With the account of my case have brought
forward such views of other writers as ii
seemed TO me would be of practical service
ana throw light on q subject which is of great
importance, since the yearly record OF mortal
ity from drowning is by no means inconsider-
able think, however. that a knowledge of
what ought to be done in cases of drowning
should be much more generally diffused than
IS the case at present. 1t should be one OF the
items Of school instruction, since no one can
-
importance in saving life, and the time lost in
securing MEDICAL aid would involve a fatal
result.
1t is also very desirable that all doubt
should be removed by the decision of COM
petent medical authorities, as to which
ready" method or methods are the best,
since there are several i'll the field. With this
should be decided what is the best means for
securing patency of the air-passages, and, in
short n very careful revision of the treatment
now recommended for drowning, in order
dDuhf "a n a
which should be adopted in such serious
emergency.
With the last of these suggestions the
medical world has to do; with the first
the educational authorities Certainly
there is in the advice to teach resuscita-
ton in the schools much strength. 1t re-
quires no textbook for the children, no
study of the subject at home, no burning
of midnight oil and no addition to the
overloaded courses of study. The
teachers, or one teacher, once month or
so, before the classes would devote half
an hour to simple instructions how to
proceed in resuscitation until the doctor
comes," and what to do if medical aid
cannot be secured.
We are now, by command of the law,
teaching the children in the public
schools concerning the i'll effects of in
diligence in spirituous liquors, and how
such drinks act upon the organs of the
body and the functions of life With as
much propriety we may give youths in
the grammar grades the specific and tech
nical knowledge how to proceed to treat
an apparently drowned person to save his
life.
Why not? 1t will add to the sum of
human knowledge diffused, and the on
coming generation will come to maturity
with information upon this important
subject that is now, as matter of fact,
possessed by but the very few. Let per-
son sink in the river at our doors to-day,
and be taken out in ample time for re-
suscitation, and in the midst of a crowd
of one hundred persons, and the chances
are that not one in the party will know
just what TO do. Remedies will be ap-
piled, efforts made, and all that, but
probably the very thing of all others to
do will not be done, or, at least, so i'll per-
formed, as to be ineffective.
In Sacramento, since our physicians
have manifested such praiseworthy in
terest in the public schools, even to the
extent of appearing before the School
Board for the reform Of certain physical
conditions, might not these gentlemen be
induced to instruct the teachers of the
schools, who, in turn, as occasion offers,
can instruct their classes in the art Of
treating those apparently drowned, and
thus, without at all interfering with usual
school study, conserve a human purpose,
and carry out DR.. Burrall's suggestions.