A discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at the semiannual meeting twelfth of June, 1798 / by William Walter, D.D. Rector of Christ Church in Boston.

  • Walter, William, 1737-1800
Date:
MDCCXCVIII [1798]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse delivered before the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at the semiannual meeting twelfth of June, 1798 / by William Walter, D.D. Rector of Christ Church in Boston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

    28/50
    expected, that were proper raeafures to be adopted, efpecially in cafes pe- culiarly doubtful, we might frequently be enabled to reftore to full life, and the enjoyment of it, a beloved friend, or a valuable member of fociety, And indeed numerous fuccefsful inftances might be adduced in the cafes of pcrfons, who would in a few hours have been configned to an untimely grave, and perhaps have fuffered all the horrors of inevitable death, at- tended with a confeioufnefs of their own terrible fituation. It is not, however, to be undenlood, that any procefs directed tp the above men- tioned purpoie can be equally applicable to all cafes : for as the attempt muft prefuppofe an entire ftate of the vital organs, it is obvious that thole apparent deaths which are confequent upon difeafe, afford in general, little or no encouragement for fuch attempts. But in moil cafes of fudden death, the vital organs appear to have fuftained but a very flight injury, and only require a feafonable excitement of the heart to renew their action. The exquifite feelings attendant on the unexpected reftoration of an affectionate friend, or an indulgent parent, a dutiful child, or an intimate companion of our bofoms, after having been fuddenly torn from us, and, in imagination, numbered with the dead, may be more eafily conceived than defcribed, nor is the acquifition of one deferving member of fociety an object unworthy the public attention. Upon thefe confiderations Societies have been formed in various parts pf Europe, for promoting attempts to recover perfons from apparent death, efpecially in cafes of fuffocation and drowning. The Humane Society eftablifhed in Great Britain, in 1774, nas been very iuccefsful. Within ten years from its inftitution, out of 1304 perfons apparently dead, from drowning, 790 have been reflored to their friends and country : * Many of them, no doubt, ufeful and valuable men. For an inftitution of this nature a confiderable fund is neceffary, and many occafional expenfes will unavoidably occur. The caufe of humanity, however, deferves every encouragement. And to promote that caufe it is to be hoped the benevo- lent will liberally fubferibe. For thefe falutary purpofes the Legiflature pf this Commonwealth, by their act paffed the laft feffion, have been pleafed to incorporate a Society, by the Name of the Humane Society pf the Commonwealth of Majfachufetts, with ample powers ; and the fol- lowing regulations and arrangements are fubmitted, by the fociety, to the infpection of the public. RULES * By the annual Report of l]g, it appears, that 2198 Lives have been preferred and rejlored,/nice the ejlabliflmenl of the Royai Humane Society ^