The record-union., 1894-09-20
MAY NOT KILL.
People Struck by Electricity May be
ResuScitated.
A French Scientist is Said to Have
Discovered the Fact Which an
American Makes Known.

1t has now been established beyond
doubt that very often persons who are APP
parently killed outright by an electric
shock are in reality not dead at all, but
are in state of suspended animation,
from which they may oe brought back
TO life, just as a drowned person may be
resuscitated if the proper measures are
applied in time. This interesting and
striking fact was discovered by French
scientist named D'Arsonval, and that
eminent New ork physician, DR.. Angus
tin II. GOelet, has made a study of the
discovery, and in the current issue of the
Electrical World has published an article
that may lead to the saving OF many
lives.
THE CURRENT MAY NOT KILL.
DR.. Goelet says: 81 am convinced that
many who have died in consequence OF
electric shocks might have been saved If
those at hand had been properly in
structed in the methods of reviving sus-
pended animation. And hope that all
electrical companies will be impressed
with the importance of having their line
men ana other employees engaged in the
vicinity OF dangerous currents so in
structed and trained that without delay
methods of resuscitation can at once be
instituted"
Nj. d'Arsonval says that an electric
shock may produce death in two ways
first, by destructive tissue changes. and,
second, by producing sudden arrest of
the respiratory and heart muscles through
excitement OF the nerve centers. In the
nrSt case death Is absolute and almost in
stantaneous. In the second case death is
only apparent, and the man who is APP
parently dead may be brought back TO
life.
DR.. Goeiet goes on to show that it Is
probable that most persons who get an
electric shock of sufficient violence TO
produce the appearance of death are
really only in this state OF suspended an
lmation. I'm view of this TACT" says he
that the human body offers a resistance
OF several thousand ohmS, which resist
ance is greatly increased by imperfect
contact, ana by charring and burning the
tissues at the points of application, it is
not often that the internal structures or
vital organs are submitted TO d very con-
siderable volume OF current. | must be
borne in mind that when the clothing is
moist from perspiration or wet with rain
1t offers circuit OF less resistance than
human body, and in that case the body
receives only shunt current. The bulk
OF the current does not enter the body"
THE REvIvING PROCESS.
The method of bringing round a person
who has been shocked with suspended
animation is very like the method OF re-
VlVlng drowned person, except that it
is much simpler. The body must be
placed upon the back. A roll made of a
coat or anything else convenient (rolled,
not foldedj is placed under the shoulders
and must be sufficiently large to so prop
up the spine as to drop the head back
ward. The operator should kneel behind
the SUBJECTS head, facing him, grasp the
elbows and draw them we'll over the
head, so as to bring them almost together,
and hold them there for two or three Sec
onds. Then he carries them down TO the
sides and front of'the chest, firmly COM
pressing it by throwing his weight
upon it.
After two or three seconds the arms
are again carried above the head and the
same maneuvre repeated, at the rate OF
htteen or sixteen times per minute. At
the same time the tongue must be drawn