Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-28
AGUM OF SUFFOCATION
Experience of Diver Who Narrowly Es-
capped Death.
Reconciliation Accomplished Only
After Several Hours of Persistent
Work ON the Part of the Doctors.

my memory q case which might be of in
terest to the public. Had in this instance,
however, DR.. H., to whose persistent efforts
the principal In this narrative owes his
life, been less tenacious in his purpose and
abandoned hope after an hours futile at
tempt, as suggested by the article above
referred to, the result would have been
different indeed. The Sylvester method of
artificial respiration was employed, but its
successful termination was due to its most
strenuous application during a period of
several hours.
The U. S. S. 'Iroquois"-a sister ship to
the ''Kearsarge." and who, like the latter,
became famous during the war, as a most
successful blockade runner-had found her
field of usefulness in the Pacific, as a MEM
Der of the Pacific squadron.
She was anchored in the harbor Of Pago-
Page, Samoa, and the time was the close of
the year 81. Her bottom had become foul
from the prolific marine growth in those
waters. There being no dock facilities, the
slower and much less thorough course of
scraping her bottom by divers had to be re-
sorted to.
The ship was supplied with a diving ap-
paratus. and had among her crew two
men, the armorer and the gunner's mate,
well trained In that work. Upon them,
then, the task Of freeing the ship from its
extra experiment to speed devOIved. Work
was nearing its completion, when this &C
cident which arrested all further progress.
happened.
Communication between the diver at
work and his assistants in the boat Is es-
tablished by a series of signals. transmit
ted through a life line. To observe the lat
ter intelligently is Of no less Importance
than the steady and constant turning of
49,
are attended to or superintendent by a COM
petent person is Of the greatest necessity,
as the well being, and even the life of the
submerged diver. is dependent thereupon. So
1t had become the established custom that
while one Of the trained divers was at work
below the other was in charge OF the boat
and apparatus.
The Signal Was Not Needed.
At the time in question p, the armorer,
was busy scraping barnacles, mussels, etc,
while H.. the gunEer's mate, was in charge
of the air pump Everything worked we'll.
The men at the wheel had become quite
well cOnversant with their duties. and there
was apparently no reason to anticipate such
calamity as shortly after ensued. The
officer Of the deck had set men to work
among the ordnance stores of the ship.
These stores, to a certain extent, are under
the immediate charge of the gunner's mate.
1t became necessary to call upon the latter
for certain information. He left the boat
in compliance with request but not I'M
til after having given such further instruc-
lions as he deemed advisable. Had they
been diligently observed all would have been
well.
However, he was gone but a very short
while when 1t was noticed that the coil of
the life line had almost entirely paid out.
This of course, was sure indication that
the diver who was at the other end of it
was, instead of being Immediately under
the bottom of the ship. at the bottom of
the bay. Without further loss of time the
line was hauled in. and u. was dragged into
the boat. where IN the meantime Drs.
II. and s., as also myself. had arrived. ID.
had been asphyxiated. and presented no
signs of life whatever. He was taken on
board, and then followed what was prob
ably one of the greatest efforts on record at
resuscitation.
The doctors at once set to work. but only
after lapse of several hours We're there in
dications that our labor had not been in
vain. 1t was IL a. m. when d. was first
subjected to a process of artificial respira
ton. but the afternoon was we'll advanced
when life had returned to such an extent
that he could be transferred to a cot, in the
cabin. which the captain most willingly
placed at our disposal for the occasion.
D., however, presented a horrible sight.
his head had almost doubled in size. and
had a conical shape. with the base at the
chin. The face had assumed a blush black
luster and was SO greatly swollen that the
nose was almost hidden from view. The
eyes, a matter of course, were firmly
closed. and demained thus for several days
after.
Suffocation seemed repeatedly imminent
and instruments had to be kept near at
hand for several days following to perform
tracheotomy. However, due to the greatest
care and precaution constantly exercised,
the patient, after many weeks fully recov-
cred.
When some days after the accident the
facial swelling had so far subsidized that the
patient was able to open his eyes. they
gave the face an utterly uncanny express
sion. through their entire dtscoloration into
black and red, both Of intensest hue.
The Divers Story.
D., although well advanced in years, Is
still in the service. on board one Of the new
vessels as electrician, but will never more
don a diving suit. Uncle Sam has not
money enough to offer as an inducement to
change his mind; so he told me.
His experiences during these few moments
at the bottom of Pago-Pago bay and the
circumstances attending his descent he eX-
planned I'm the following manner: Having
just finished cleaning such portion Of the
ships bottom as ne was able to reach from
his suspended scaffOld, he sfgnaled to be
drawn up, to have the scaffold shifted. EX-
pecting the customary prompt reply from
above he stepped off the scaffold in antici
patton of being Immediately hoisted. But
instead he went down and down.
The depth of the bay averages about forty
fathoms Gao feeO. Going down the faint
daylight which penetrates the surface wa
ter to depth Of about six or seven fathoms
was soon superseded by utter darkness. The
air became exhausted, and an agony of
pending sunocation made the moments of
torture beggaring description. He seemed
to live his whole life over. during those mo-
ments Finally he touched bottom before
his descent was arrested
The rapid descent and the rapidly increas-
Ing pressure Of the volume of water above
him rendered the action Of the air pump
useless. The rubber tubing which serves to
convey the air was SO thoroughly fiattened
by the water pressure that 1t utterly failed
in it's purpose.
With the agonizing knowledge of being
buried alive most acute he finally lost con-
seriousness, and the following hours are
blank in his memory.
This. then. illustrates a case in which
resuscitation by the application of artificial
respiration proved successful but only be-
cause the operators did not abandon their
efforts when after more than an hours
man %Iati success seemed still more
Words Of Wisdom.
From the Rams Horn
Religion is like muscle; If we do not use
1t we will lose 1t. III
The man who would be a leader must be