The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-04-23

correspondent Of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat. Heretofore such mechan-
isms have existed only in fiction or
for earthly life eternal.
A French physician has patented
such device in this country 1t is to
be applied for the purpose of breath
ing renewed life into bodies which are
liefless, or apparently lifeless. To
use the words of the inventor, it is an
aerotherapeutical apparatus A YES
sci into which water Is poured is sur
rounded by an air chamber and has
fixed in 1t an upright tube surmounted
by globe. In the center Of the tube
Is vacuum gauge. When the proper
valve Is turned water in the upper
tube moves upward and downward,
producing alternate inhalations and
exhalations in another tube leading to
the free air. By suitable mouth or
nasal pieces the latter tube is to be
attached to the body of the subject.
The instrument being attached and
put into operation, the lungs will be
filled with air and emptied at alternate
intervals, corresponding in regularity
with the natural expansion and con-
traction Of the chest In normal breath
ing. Thus the blood may be supplied
with its necessary oxygen, and unless
decomposition has set in life may be
kindled anew.
Still another invention of this class
Is that Of Brooklyn physician. 1t is
an alright chamber suitable in size
for the accommodation of n mans
body. 1t is connected with an air
rarefier and compressor, the ccntroll-
Ing mechanism Of which Is worked by
rotary shaft and crank. 1t is claim
ed that the subject inside may be made
to breathe when the interior at
mosphere is alternately rarefied and
compressed, his lungs, as well as the
chamber ITSELF being filled and then
emptied as the valves are kept work.
ing.
Still another invention, that of a
Buffalo man, is bellows and tube, the
latter to be connected with the mouth
and nostrils. The tube before reach
ing the subject passes through small
stove, which heats the air to the
proper temperature.
An odd apparatus which may be in
cluded in this category, is a sort of
corset, patented by California man,
which while encircling the chest, may
be made to automatically compress and
let free the muscles of the thorax,
which control respiration.
The examining board of the life
saving service has been considering the
advisabillty of adopting a resuscitating
machine, known as an insuffiator, for
reviving drowned persons. 1t in
wolves an air pump, nasal and mouth
pieces, and hypodermic apparatus
Should the future develop improve
ments in the direction toward which
these inventions as well as the theories
of reliable medical specialists are
pointing we may yet see the day when
our friends may be brought back to
life after several deaths and when life
may begun again by an external rather
than an internal force When this
happy day arrives the physician will
visit the deathbed, resuscitator in
hand, maintaining artificial circulation
and respiration, while at the same
time repairing or replacing the worn
out organs. In these wonderful days
of scientific achievement there seems
to be no reason why the vital fame,
because once extinguished, cannot be
reignited to once more put the delicate
animal mechanism in motion.
I'D to this time physicians have ac-
complished little by attempts at re-
suscitation, except in cases of cata-
lepsy, syncope, few kinds of poison
ing. drowning, hanging and other
forms of asphyXia and electrocution
The old-fashioned OF direct method
now generally applied in such cases is
to place the patient upon his back and
to compress and expand his chest cav
itv nv pressure of the hands. Renewed
life has been breathed into young chill
dren by what is known as the mouth
to-mouth installation. The operator
places his mouth to that of the patient
and by keeping up a systematic pro
cess of exhalation and inhalation
starts the latter's lungs to working
again.
Physicians now have hopes of resus
citating a drowned man after life ha!
been apparently extinguished for al
hour. Man appears to be more forum
ate than the dog in this respect.
In the course Of experiments SOM
time ago to determine this degree o
comparison dogs which had been hell
wholly under water for minute an'
a half never recovered and their heart
stopped beating four minutes afte'
breathing had ceased. The testimon!
of persons resuscitated after drownini
indicates that such a mode OF deatl
is not nearly so painful as one Nigh
imagine. A tickling in the throat L
about the only pain which is usual!
experienced.
Physicians have recently made OBJ
II