The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-07
Sits BRAWL
IN life FIGHT
FOR LINEMAN
First Aid Workers Right
to Push Aside Doctor
Probed by Coroner.
BOTH SIDES UPHELD
Comrades of EIeCtrocuted
Worker and Inferno
Defended.

The question OF whether trained
first aid workers should give way to
a doctor While frantically working
to restore life in the body of a
man through whom 5000 volts of
electricity had passed, arose today
in Coroner G. H. Keever's investiga-
ton of the death of Dewey Robson,
81. Roosevelt hotel.
Robson was killed Wednesday
afternoon while working on pole
in an alley between Liberty and
East streets.
WOrkmen Strike Doctor
Fred Box, 81, of 1881 West Ray
street, who holds a Carnegie medal
for similar rescues, and Francis O.
Rand, 80, of GIG North Wallace
street, carried RobeSon's body from
the pole to the ground and in1me-
diately began reSuscitation work by
the Schaffer prone pressure meth
cd. which they had been taught In
the indianapolis Power and Light
Company's first aid school.
They and other workmen desper-
ately were striving to restore breath
when q city hospital ambulance
with DR.. R. H. Clymer, inferno, in
charge arrived.
According to Police DR.. Clymer
went to the body and started to
take charge. He attempted to turn
the body over and administer an
emergency injection of adrenilin,
the most powerful heart stimulant
known to medical doctors. The
power company employees pushed
him aside and finally struck him,
police said. The doctor finally
withdrew to the ambulance
Meanwhile the first aid squad OF
the Power and Light Company ar
rived and supplemented the efforts
of the first worknen with an in
halator
Four Are Arrested
DR.. o. H. Bakemeier. deputy
coroner. arrived and finally directed
that the resuscitation work, be
stopped. He declared Robson had
been dead for some time. DR.. Kee-
yer. later said he believed the work
man had been killed instantly. Fell
low employees, however said they be-
lieved he must have lived for at
least a short time because he erled
out for help when he touched the
wire.
Police Major Louis Johnson di-
rected the arrest of Box. Rand, Vlr-
gin Kehl. q. of 708 North Illinois
street. and Charles H. King, 1858
West Ray street. on assault and
battery cho~ges for the alleged at
tack upon the doctor.
Holds Both Sides Right
F. M. Ehling, a graduate OF Red
Cross life saving schools, who had
taught the workmen first aid, today
declared that he believed they were
right in continuing their efforts
The difference between the inferno
and the workers apparently arose
because the doctor desired to turn
the booy from the stomach to the
back in order to administer the
adreneln just below the heart.
EhliIlG explained that the first
aid workers are taught to keep the
patient on his stomach, to prevent
swallowing of the tongue in case
breathing starts, and the workers
we're impressed with the necessity
of keeping anyone from~turning the
body over.
He was supported in this state
ment by w. r. Hirst, safety director
of the Indiana Bell Telephone Com
pany, q Red Cross expert.
DR.. William DoepperS, city hos
pital superintendent. said that he
had no desire whatever to criticiSe
the workers. that he believed they
had done what they believed was
right. but that as a doctor he be-
heved the inferno had been right
in attempting to administer the
heart stimulant He said he be-
lieved that the workers had at
tackled the doctor only in the ex-
citement of the moment.
Coroner Defends Doctor
DR.. Keeyer. Subpoenaing all per-
sons with knowledge Of the Incl
dent, declared he was not proceed
ing on the theory that the attack
on the inferno had anything what-
ever to do with the lineman's
death. He said, however, that as a
matter of public policy first aid
workers always should give way to
a doctor, who has had far greater
training and experience than they
and therefore better knowledge OF
what to do.
Dr. Herbert T. Wagner, director Of
first aid work. American Red Cross
however, defended the first aic
workers, declaring that the average
ambulance doctor is inadequately
prepared to handle such cases.
1T is part of our training thai
the workers should give way to 8
doctor, but only when they know
the doctor is doing right" he said.
The assault and battery cases are
set for late today in Judge Paul c