The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-10-30
POISONING CURED BY BLEEDING.
Man Rescued from Apparent Death
by q Novel Experiment.

Man Rescued from Apparent Death
by a Novel Experiment.
Philadelphia Times: with his respira-
ton but five in five minutes, we saved
him.
The speaker was DR.. Albert D. Black
burn, chief of the medical staff at the
Presbyterian hospital. The man referred
to had been brought there by the patrol
wagon several weeks ago nearly dead
from the effects of a quantity of lauda-
mum which he had swallowed with sui
cidal intent, but who now, thanks to the
sudden thought, or. more likely, the in
spiration, which seized DR.. Blackburn,
when all the usual methods were failing
to restore consciousness and death seemed
but moment to linger, is mighty glad
that the breath of life still fingers in his
breast
''For hours we worked with him." con-
tinued the doctor. 1--WE applied the stom-
ach pump, but the blood had absorbed
the poison. We tried other methods. We
worked assiduously almost frantically.
Reluctantly we were forced to acknowl-
edge that we could get no results, for
the patient sank lower and lower. We
were at our wits end. Suddenly this line
of thought struck me: That mans res
piration is but five in five minutes; he is
practically dead. The stomach pump will
the poison and is pregnant with it. The
only way to get it out of the system is
to bleed him, to deprive him of the very
essence of life, in order to give him life!
Then. I thought, blood is largely saline
solution; we can prepare a like solution
with the proportions the same, and in
ject this into the body, to take the place
Of the poison-filled blood. The body will
do the rest; it will assimilate the solution
and make 1t blood.
1.-The chance was a desperate one, but
the circumstances called for it. So we
bled the man, and the two pints which
we let out were as black as ink, so preg-
>nant with the poison was it. Quickly we
injected an equal amount Of the saline
solution; then with our anxiety at high
tension we stood around to watch and
await results. Once we thought we de-
tected a. slight INCREASE Of respiration
but we dare not trust too fnuoh. A few
minutes later we were sure Of it. Slowly
the respiration began to rise, and slowly
but surely the organs began once more
to resume their functions. Still we
watched, fearing relapse. None came.
Then at last the man was out of danger
He stayed under our care for few days,
ard when we sent him away he had to-
tally recovered from the effects of the
poison which he had put into his sys-
tenn. To-day he is a hale and hearty
man."
1t is highly probable that this method
of overcoming poison is a novel one. No
one seems to know of a like instance.
At least, several reputable physicians of
this city, when interviewed, said that
no case of similar nature had ever come
under their notice, nor were they aware
that such method had ever been applied
with SUCCESS before. However that may
be, the method is undoubtedly an effica-
cious one and will probably be the means
of saving the lives of many people who
have swallowed deadly poisons accident
ally or with a desire Ito take arms
against a sea of troubles and, by oppos-
ing, end them.''