The Portland daily press., 1897-03-30

The Dead Not Always So Beyond Recall
by Artificial Respiration, Life Can
Sometimes Be Restored.
John Elfretb Watkins, Jr., writes from
Washington to the st. Louis Globe
Democrat: Doubtless the most interest
ing of new inventions ere several instru-
ments forsrewinding the delicate machin-
cry OF life after it has run down, or,
moro literally speaking, for bringing the
lead back to life. Heretofore such
mechanisms have existed only in fiction
or in the visions of these who have
craved for earthly life eternal.
A French physician has patented such
device in this country. IT. is to he APP
piled for the purpose of breathing re-
newed life into bodies which are lifeless
or apparently lifeless 10 use the words
of the inventor, it is an aerotherapeuti.
cal apparatus. A vessel into which
water is poured is surrounded oy an air
chamber, and has fxeu in 1t an upright
tube surmounted by globe. In the
centre of the tube is vacuum gauge.
When the proper valve is turned. water
in the upright tube moves upward and
downward producing alternate inha1a-
tions 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 filed
with mir and emptied at alternate inter-
walls, corresponding in regularity with
the. natural expansion and contraction of
the chest in normal breathing. 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 a Brooklyn physician. 1t is an
air tight cham her, suitable in size for the
accommodation Of a mans body. 1t is
connected with an air rarefier and CON-
pressor, the controlling mechanism of
which is worked by rotary shaft and
crank. 1t is claimed that the subject
Interior atmosphere is alternately rare
fed and compressed. his lungs. as well
as the chamber itself, being filed and
then emptied as the valves are kept work
ing.
Still another such Invention, that If
Buffalo man, ia bellows and tube, the
latter to be connected with the mouth
and nostrils The tube, before reaching
the subject, passes through small stove.
which heats the air to the proper temper
allure.
Ano Id 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 con-
troll respiration.
The examining board of the life-saving
service has lately been considering the
Availability of adopting resuscitating
machine, known as an insuffiator, for
reviving drowned persons. 1t involves
an air pump, nasal and mouth fpieces,
and hypodermio apparatus.
Should the future develop improve
ments in the direction toward which these
inventions as we'll az the theories of re-
liable medical specialists ara pointing, we
may yet see the day when our friends
may be brought back to life after several
deaths, and when life may be begun
again by an external rather than An in
ternal force. When this happy day ar
rives the physician will visit the death
bed, resuscitator in hand, maintaining
artificial circulation and respiration,
while at the same time repairing or re-
placing the worn out organs. In these
wonderful days of scientific achieve
ment there seems to be no reason why
the vital fame, because once extin-
guished, cannot be re-ignfted to once