The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-01-31
WATER IN THE LUNGS

l The common belief Is that the cause of death in drowning is tho filling of tho lungs with | water.
 As n rule little water Is found in the lungs Of q person who has died by drowning. | Tho most characteristic finding in a drown Ing case Is the presence of blood-tinged mucous | froth In the windpipe and overdistension or | congestion of the blood vessels of the lining of the windpipe. The lungs arc usually congest- ed, too, and perhaps more sodden than they | should be, but they float in water and if the | air spaces contain any liquid at all 1t Is only spoonful or two, not enough to shut out air. | What, then, causes death in drowning? | There arc several theories to account for it. Each of them may apply In certain instances. | 1. Concussion from violent contact of the chest head or back with the surface of tho water, or with banks of Q stream with rocks or the bottom of n shallow pool. -l l g. Exhaustion from prolonged violent effort to keep ahoat or to swim against current, wind or wave.
 3. Cerebral congestion from effusion of serum or blood in the brain during the first struggles | for air.
 4.. Apoplexy (hemorrhage into the brain) | from the same cause.
 | :. Syncope (fainting, shock) from fright. l 6. Few physicians now give much credence 1 to the hypothetical "cramp' The only "cramp' of which we know is that which occurs after | prolonged effort in very cold water and this loss of power in the muscles Is only partial scarcely sufficient to account for drowning.
 z. sufocation from spasm of larynx pro- | duced by choking on some water. | 8. Air embolism-bubbles of air occludini pulmonary arteries or the coronary artery uhat supplies the heart walD, the air being forced into the circulation either by violent convulsivt | efforts or. in some instances. by sudden com pression of the lungs, as by a belly splash dive | or by q hard blow over the solar pexus. | Recently Dr Peter Karpovitch, professor o | physiology in Springfield college found by ex pertinent that rats invariably have water in tn, lungs when drowned
 In medical jurisprudence 1t has been assumed | that the absence of any water in the lungs i' l evidence against death by drowning. but in view | of the agreement of numerous authorities tha l no Wafa ia n n ma toned cases of drowning this old principle hal lost weight.
 In my opinion it is important to permit drain age of the thick frothy fluid from nose ant | mouth while resuscitation is being applied Il drowning case, by placing the victim in thu position Schaefer advises and NOT in the funn! Red Cross position. Anyway there is goot reason for putting anything under the victim chin, face forehead when applying prone pressure respiration.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
 Patient Patient
 Having my tOnsiIs removed by the diatherm method and certainly would not care to have going one year and two months and have hat 32 treatments SO far, but this Is not long. con sidcring how badly infected and how large m
 Answer-Well. never. But then, maybe tn doctor has nice nurse or something.
 Soda for Cramps
 You requested readers to report their expert ence with soda a remedy for cramps in tn legs i have found dose of from One-half t one teaspOOnTuI Of soda sure relief Tor sucl cramps on many occasions. GA. z. O.
 Ansewr-Thank you number of reader have reported similar relief, usually iron smaller doses say 10 to 20 grains (less thai half teaspoonfuI) of sodium bicarbonat (baking soda). .t
 Long. Long Way to Quit tiic Worry
 Sinccrcst appreciation for fine advice in you booklet, "Tilc Constipation Habit" Had alway worried about my condition. and had trie everything in hope of finding a remedy. Ha always been told that a tall person Is aat ufalI Ten \ nn But thanks to your advice | am no longer tr0u bed in that way. GA. K.)
 | Answer-The physic habit is psychological | rather than physical. If there were some wa to enlighten all the wiseacre victims of tn habit concerning the elementary physiology O digestion, the correction of the bad habit woul he quite simple. But try and teach a wiseacr Ianything that doesn't jibe with the bunk he ha already learned. Any correspondent who ha the habit may procure copy of the bookIe by sending a dime and a stamped envelop bearing his addrexx. tft4f