The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-10
Boy Who Was Brought Back to Life After He
Had Been Under Water for Twenty-Five Minutes
and Unconscious Four Hours--A Case With
out an Authenticated Parallel
John w. Young,

Justice of the Peace"
Miss Mace's affidavit is lucid and
convincing:
ITO whom it may concern:
II hereby certify that on July s, 1902,
I assisted Capt. Ludlam in resuscita-
ting Stanley Holmes, who was appar-
emily drowned Although Capt. Lud-
lam succeeded in removing the water
from the childs stomach and resorted
to rubbing and artificial breathing,
with the addition of hot water bags to
the boys feet and limbs, the child did
not gasp until smelling salts were adj
ministered, which was about forty Live
minutes after the boy was brought to
the landing. After that he breathed
freely.
''The same treatment was continued
until after the doctor arrived, with the
addition of hypodermic of brandy.
The child did not regain consciousness
until 80 p. M, which was about four
hours after the accident.
Margaret Mace.
Student Womans Medical College of
Pennsylvania"
Truly, Nurse JHoch says, the boys
recovery was miracle:
"Anglesea, N. j., July 11.-Capt
Ludlam: 81 hereby certify that I as
sisted in resuscitating Stanley Holiness
July 5. 1902. We worked with the boy
fully three quarters of an hour before
he showed any signs of life, and it is
really a miracle that he lived. How
ever, we were very persistent with our
treatment.
Il have never heard of a person that
responded so promtly to treatment as
he did under the circumstances. Hav
ing been under water for so long d
time, anticipations for his recovery
were very doubtful.
MARY G. Hoch.
Graduate Nurse Of st. Josephs Hos
pital, Philadelphia, Pa"
This case, so fully authenticated, is
a triumph for the life saving service.
The brave men of that service are
trained in the methods of restoring
the apparently<drowned. Once a week,
on Friday, in every life-saving station
in the country, the men practice these
methods, using one of their numbers
as a subject.
among them, is added to the instances
of suspended animation. A. F. Tay-
Tor, in his Manual of Medical Juris-
prudence" mentions a child of two
years who recovered after being under
water ten minutes; in another case
man recovered after fourteen minutes
SubmerSion.
Another Remarkable Case.
The American Journal of Science,
Philadelphia, 1853, reports the survival
of woman who was said to have been
submerged twenty-four minutes
Guerard, in his "Annales d'Hygiene,"
etc., quotes case happening in 1774,
in which there was a submersion for
an hour, with subsequent recovery;
but the evidence of this seems INSULT
cient. Green mentions submersion for
fifteen minutes; Douglass for fourteen
minutes; Lamb for fifteen minutes;
Pova1, in the Western Medical and
Physical Journal, Cincinnati 1928,
gives a description Of three persons
who recovered after a Submersion Of
twenty-five minutes.
The wonder of young Holmes re-
covery is emphasized when one con-
siders the comparatively brief periods
for which people can willingly sub
merge themselves. Some years ago in
Paris girl, who called herself Lurline,
gave exhibitions of her ability to re-
main under water in a big glass tank
which was brilliantly Illuminated. She
could stay under water three minutes.
LHomme-P Poisson (the man-fish) i,
performed similar feats, and smoked
cigarette, which he held entirely in
his mouth. In this country not long
ago. was a performer who remained
under water four minutes and eight
seconds.
Slow music, great ceremony, and the
counting of the seconds in a loud voice
on the stage, all were intended to
make these submersions appear long.
However. James Finney, in London,
April Z, 1888, stayed under water four
minutes and twenty nine and quar-
ter seconds. One of his feats was to
pick up eighty gold plated half-pennies
with his mouth, his hands being tied
behind his back.
With his sister he played the game
of Napoleon under water, using por-
celain cards, and turning them to the
view of the audience prof" Enochs
recently stayed under water for four
minutes forty-six and one-fifth sec
onds at Lowell, Mass. The best previ-
Gus record was four minutes thirty-f1ve
seconds, made by Prof" Beaumont,
at Melbourne, Dec. Is, 1893.