The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-24
WORLD OF SCIENCE.
BREATH FOR DYING MEN.
Some Interesting Experiments with An
other of Wonderful inventions O
the Are.

-
Some Interesting Experiments with An
other of,h Wonderful inveniions %
the Age.
One of the latest triumphs of inven
tive genius in the field of medica
science is the discovery of a methoo
of keeping up the breathing of 8
patient who is unable to breathe fol
himself. The maintenance of artificial.
respiration to support life has fire.
quently been attempted, but unit
recently 10 really practical means OF
accomplishing this end has been de
vised. The invention of a successful
method was made a few months ago by
DR.. O'Dwyer, a New York physician,
and the results SO far obtained lead
to the belief that many cases usually
agreed as hopeless can be saved. The
apparatus devised by DR.. O'Dwyer is
simple, and the only wonder is that it
was not invented long before. 1t con
sists of Il bellows operated by the feet,
a rubber tubing and a metal tube,
ending in a cone.like attachment.
This %attachmnet is placed in the
throat and by operating the bellows
air can be forced lnto the lungs. The
top end of the metal tube has two
openings, one receiving the air from
the tube, while the other is covered by
the thumb of tho operator during the
time the air is being forced in. To
provide for the consequent expiration,
or collapse of the chest. all that is
necessary is TO remove the thumb
from the opening and the air in the
lungs is allowed to escape. BY this
simple arrangement perfect artificial
respiration OF twelve breaths to the
minute may be obtained.
The applications of this apparatus
are numerous, especially in cases
where the heart action is going ON but
the patients have difficulty in breath.
ing. 1t as been used successfully in
saving the lives Of persons suffering
from poisoning. and, when employed in
connection with the stomach pump and
proper ~antidotes and medicines, it has
been found to greatly increase the
chances of recovery. In one case
which recently occurred at the Presby-
terrain hospital, New York, the use of
this apparatus resulted in the recov
cry of the patient. and it was admitted
that without it death would have in
evitably resulted. The patient was
suffering from morphine poisoning.
taken twelve grains of the
drug. When brought to the hospital
he lay in a stupor, his body had the
blue appearance characteristic of NOR
phine poisoning, the pulse was very
high, registering ID beats a minute,
and the breathing was feeble, only four
breaths a minute being recorded. 1t
was seen that unless artificial rcspira
ton could be secured, the patient
must die, and the O'Dwyer tubes were
therefore employed. The result of
operation IN this ease is thus
described by the New York World
The tube was inserted at 1880 y M. and respi-
'ations were forced into the mans lungs Mt the
Of twelve every minute. The patients
whole condition improved ut once. The pulse
became almost normal and the blue color OF the
ace ana hands ds tppoarcd. The stomach
Jump was once more Inserted alongside the
ubc, and the stomach was washed thoroughly,
'fter Whlct, more medicine was administered
Vt II 80 y m, the patient was arc lSed. hut his
,ulse was not good, At midnight he became
~estiess, and the tube was removed and he was
made to sit up. Bat u spite OF the diligent ef.
orts made to keep MIN awake, in about ten
minutes his face and 3ands again began to grow
'lue. and his pulse II lId AMI feeble. The tube
vas replaced, with tic result that his condition
Immediately changed Tor the better. At 2.3g
IN, the tube was again removed, but once more
he blue CoiUr made is appearance on the hands
nd face. 1t was put back again and kept in
until nearly $50 o'clock in the morning,
Vhen the patient became so restless that its re
ooVal was Il necessity. After this, until :
clock, the patient was kept awake by the slap
ing Of Il towel, for Nhen left alone his rcspira-
ions would 20 down 70 eight or ten a minute.
II IN O'Clock ms .pEllTHTtnn 81 AiNtngn "a