The Institution of the Merrimack Humane Society : with the methods of treatment to be used with persons apparently dead from drowning or injured by accident, or in cases of accidental poisoning.

  • Merrimack Humane Society
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Institution of the Merrimack Humane Society : with the methods of treatment to be used with persons apparently dead from drowning or injured by accident, or in cases of accidental poisoning. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

    19/44 page 13
    Using your knees as a pivot, throw all your weight forward up- on your hands, at the same time pressing the waist between them as if trying to force everything in the chest upward out of the mouth. Deepen the pressure while you can count slowly, one, two, three. Then suddenly let go, with a final push which springs you back to your upright kneeling position. Rest while you can count slowly, one, two, three, to allow the ribs to spring back, and air to enter the chest, and then repeat as before. Continue this bellows-like movement, with the regularity of natu- ral breathing, about six times in a minute, gradually increasing to fifteen times. Watch carefully for any gasp of natural breathing, being careful not to interrupt it and prevent air from entering the chest, by press- ure at that time; but quickly follow it with pressure that the next gasp may deepen into a longer breath. Continue this artificial breathing until the patient breathes regu- ularly. If not sooner successful, it should be persisted in for, at least, four hours, unless the patient be pronounced dead by a com- petent physician. RULE IV. To restore warmth and circulation. If other persons are present, have the wet clothing removed, and the body and limbs well dried and rubbed, while artificial respira- tion is going on. Continue the rubbing, under dry blankets or over dry clothing, energetically and unceasingly until recovery follows. Rub always toward the heart, with a firm grasping pressure, to aid the return of blood to the heart through the veins. Also promote warmth by applying hot flannels, bottles of water, or bricks wrapped in cloth, to the armpits, feet, stomach and thighs. RULE V. After treatment. Externally.—As soon as breathing is established, put the patient wrapped in warm blankets, to bed in a comfortably warm room, and allow perfect rest and sleep.
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