The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1919-06-06
SAVE THE DROWNING;
THIS IL THE SEASON

| been ruined by rolling drowned per
sons on them and the victims OF sub
mcrsion have not been benefited
| either"
This dlctum from Wilbcrt f. Long
| fellow, Field Agent Of the Life-Sav-
! ing section OF the American Red
! Cross, Is followed with a plain-as-day
explanation Of the Shafer method Of
/ rcsuscitation from drowning or suf-
/ location from gas, smoke. or electric
shock. It is the prone-pressure
method which requires simply that
the victim be placed on a level sur
face, face downward. and the measur-
ed pressing and releasing Of the float
| ing ribs with the hands.
Persons who have been under wat
or as long as thirty-fye minutes have
been resusciated by this simple meth
cd after six hours work. The TAFT
I'd States Coast Guard report TAO
cases Of thirty-minute sutusr>i--
successfully resusciated after several
hours application Of treatment.
10000 Victims Annually.
The heavy drowning months 4-s
those Of late spring and early s-=-
mer. Ten thousand persons are SAT
located, mainly from tr5v-.-E il
the United States annually. AID
large per cent Of these c5-i5 = saw
ed by prompt and in;s.lge-; ha-5-
ling
In the Boy Scouts q Are-.-z. The
/ Life-Saving Section q the Red C-css
First Aid Division has found
splendid medium Tor educating ,hs
masses in water .irs,-aid. Boy scouts
have lately given Demonstration %
prone-pressure resuscitati0n before
police squads in many OF the cities %:
the United States through arrange
mcnts made by the Red Cross.
/ Mr.. Longfellow is an expert swim
mcr and widely known as an authori-
~ on overcoming difficulties in the
water His description Of resu-cia-
ton follows:
Taken out OF the element which
causes smothering, the patient. in the
case Of drowning, should first be held
( upside down al an angle OF about 80
/ degrees, and the floating ribs press
| ed and released several times. allow
| ing the water to run out Of the
3 mouth fTb.r tho ,atf,pt .h,u11 10
placed face downward on a flat sur
face. the hands pulled from under the
body and left higher than the should
or level. this action raising the chest
walls In this position the tongue
will drop forward out Of the throat
ard the fluids viii continue 10 run
1ut of the mouth. The back OF one
of the patients hands may be placed
under his cheek 90 protect it from the
dirt.
Press and Release Lower Ribs.
The operator kneels astride the
hips Of the patient and rests his
hands over the patients floating ribs.
by leaning the weight forward
straight-arm pressure, out goes the
water. The pressure is released
suddenly, and in comes the air. Re
peating this from twelve to fifteen
times a minute gives more air than
natural breathing, and three times
as much as any other method OF
resuscitatiOn.
"When the patient IS sufficiently
resuscitated TO be able 10 swallow, in
other words, is conscious. it may be
necessary TO give stimulants. If the
patients hands are cold and clammy
he should be covered with blanket.
coat, canvas sail, or anything that
will help 10 increase the body tenn
perature. \ cup OF hot black cofiec
or hot tea IS safer stimulant than
any alcoholic liquids. one or two
teaspooniuls of aromatic spirits of
amonia I'm hair q glass Of water j.
another stimulant that can be used .
Work Of reconciliation after the .
rescue cannot be- begun too quickly. .
No patient should be carried any dis
lance for shelter or 10 a doctor, but .
efforts 10 rcsu-citate should be begun .
At once. Send for a doctor at once, 7
but begin work on the patient at .
once, alsO."--Lakc Division News.