Health and Beauty

1889

How to Restore a Person apparently Drowned

Loosen everything around the neck. Turn the patient's face downward, and raise the body several inches higher than the head, and keep it in this position long enough to count five slowly. This will enable the water to escape from the mouth and nose. Place the patient on his back with the chest slightly raised (by some convenient article of clothing such as a folded coat or shawl) and the head in a straight line with the body. Then practice artificial breathing in this way: - Stand astride the patient's hips, grasp the arms, and raise them above the head until they nearly meet, which expands the chest; then pull them down and press firmly in the sides of the chest; this contracts the chest and thus forces the breath first in and then out. While this is going on let another person catch hold of the tongue with a piece of cloth and pull it out, it may be secured by fastening an elastic band over the tongue and under the chin; this open the little air-valve covering the air-tube. While this is going on remove all wet clothing, cover the body with warm blankets, etc., and rub the body vigorously. If signs of life appear, place the patient in a warm bed in a well-ventilated room, and give hot drinks, such as milk, tea, or coffee.