The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-17

" powdered pepper and sttnging
nettle seeds, or through the blow
Ing Of sharp materials. such -
snuff, into the nostrils were com.
mon methods In times past. 10
day there are numerous methods
Of reviving apparently dead people.
and these are divided into two
large classes. The first ClaHs 1ns
cludes those methods in which
artificial respiration ID induced b.
the aid OF instruments and 80
paratus. and the second GLASS In
cludes those methods In which
no apparatus III used.
It Is claimed that, cases Of ~.
parent death being of such rarS
occurrence that the apparatus
used for revivification IS uge6
but seldom, reeuscitation with the
aid Of instruments and apparatus
is the more unreliable Of the two.
For It may happen that the ap-
paratus Is out of order due to In
frequent use, and then, Is through
ignorance it were not possible
to apply the other method Of
resuscitation, the patient would
be lost. While there does not
seem to be any reason why this
apparatus cannot be kept In prop
er condition, It Is stated that the
quickest, safest and most reliable
methods Is that using no instru-
menfs.
There are two different prici-
pies whether instruments are used
or not. According to the first
principle force is applied exters
nally to the thorax and this -
actuated in similar manner to
natural breathing. 1t Is artificial
" distended SO that air Is sucked
IN. and then squeezed together 70
as to expel the air. The latter
operation can be performed auto
naticallv through the elastic re-
action In the lung1 and th0rax.
Accordine to the Second princip-
al breathing ii induced by actuat-
ing the lungs themselves. Turing
the process OF inhalation air or
oxygen is forced into the lungs
while in exhalatiOn the sir Or o1y-
gen is sucked out Of the lungs Dy
suction pumps or through the nat.
uraI elastic reaction Of the chest
cavity.
The thorax method fills up the
lungs with air without directly
actuating them, while the second
or lung method subjects the walls
Of the lungs and the tlnorax a.
well to active distension. 81 n
evident that the lung method il
directly the opposite Of natural
breathing, and consequently IL u
unphysiologica in nature. This
brings up the question whether the
use Of the puImotor Is justified,
whether the use of this apparatus
in forcing air into the lungs and
sucking 1t out again by mechanical
means is harmful to the subject.
From an examination Of cases
OF apparent death due to suffOca-
| ton, the essential feature Of which
is the deprivation Of the body Of
sufficient oxygen to perform its
natural functions, it appears that
this non-physiologica or pllimot0K
| method of artificial respiration II
| not only unharrnful but absolutely
Iife-saving in its action, IS long as
| the nervous centers controlling the
respiratory organs Of the body are
still capable OF being stimulated
into action. If they have lost THU
power, then it makes no difference
what method is used. they cannOi
| be brought into action again and
the victim is definitely dead. The
use of an excess of oxygen doei
/ no harm, as under normal cOndi
lions arterial blood is almost COM
pletely saturated with oxygen any
way.