The Cairo bulletin., 1907-01-03
MASSAGED LIFE
INTO A DEAD BOY
ENCLl2H SURGEON REPORTS RE.
MARkABLE TESTS IN TWO
OTHER CASES.
BUT GRIM REAPER WON
Although Life Was Restored For a
While BY Rubbing Heart and
With Artificial Respiration
Biased on Precedent.

| London, Jan. "Details Of re
markable case at Bristol. in which the
action of the heart was restored by
means of massage after apparent
death, are reported by DR.. IA Green
surgeon at the British Royal Hospital
for Sick Children and Women.
The patient was boy of 8, who
was suffering from complaint which
nece STATED an operation Chlorofcrm
was administered, and the operation
commenced, when after difficult
breathing respiration ceased No
heart sounds could be heard.
Hot towels were applied and in
jections Of strychnno made. but with
out success.
Then. % minutes after the heart
had stopped. Or. Green decided to ap-
ply direct compression to the organ.
An opening was made sufficient to ad-
nit The right hand; and the heart
was felt to be quite immobile and
haccid.
The doctor commenced rhyhmical
compression of the organ. with his
right hand pressing against its lower
surface, and his left hand outside,
The rate of compression being about
70 a minute
Massaged the Heart.
Thio roatbCJ o1pf fpux,1 far
about two minutes without appreci-
able effect Then Dr. Green prasped
the apex of the heart with his right
hand and in The manner continued
the intermittent compression, Soon
slight fqtering of the organ was no
ticed. The pupils Of the eyes also
contracted; and within few seconds
the heart began to beat forcibly with
more than normal vigor.
Meanwhile, artificial respiration had
been continued all the time; and
within a short period OF the restora-
tion Of the pulse spontaneous breath
ing asserted itself, and gradually be-
came regular.
were performing their functions nor
maly, although the pa lent had not re
covered consciousness.
The subsequent hi tory of the case
was, unfortunately, BOT so satisfac
tory. Sensibility never returned. The
patient developed spasms, and early
next monang he was found to be OBJ
viously sinking, The heart beat getting
very feeble. Death took place 20
hours after the heart beat and respir
alton had been established.
Reports Another Case.
Another Bristol case was that Of =
boy of who was admitted TO the
same hospital suffering from diph
iberia.
The difficulty of breathing passed
off without an operation, but after
sudden attack of syncope heart bea.
and respiration ceased.
Compressor OF the heart was com
menced by DR.. Green, as in the form
er case. and after five minutes a slow
wave Of contraction was felt passing
over the organ. At the end Of an
other five minutes the heart was beat
ing at the rate of IS minute, and the /
ears and lips. which had been liyid, /
had resumed their ruddy appearance.
Dr. Greco however. was unable in I
this case 10 restore spontaneous 4
breathing, and the heart itself stoppsi |
pClsaiing half an hour afterward.
Further massage made it contract I
several times, but after a few more /
attempts efforts were reluctantly Civ
en- up, ore and a half hours after The /
massage had been commenced and /
one and three quarters hours after
the child had died
Based on Precedent.
DR.. Green was led TO try these /
measures through having seen them
adopted by DR.. c. n. Keetly in a case
at the West London Hospital in the |
summer Of 1903.
That case. which has not before
been published was that Of a man in
middle life. Chloroform was employ
ed for the operation. and before the
patient was completely under 81 his
breathing and pulse stopped
The usual me hods for restoration .
were adopted without avail a-d at the
end Of three quarters Of an hour D..
Keetly made an opening and com (
pressed the heart in the manner de-
scribed by Dr. Green in his first case.
The results. however. were negative.
In giving Dr. Green permission 70
make use Of this case DR. Keetly
wrote: L have had had another case
like IL since. i- which We endeavored
10 restore circ -iation by opening the
abdomen and pressing the heart
through the diaphragm. but unsuc-
ceesfuIly."