SECTION I. To recover those who are apparently dead by drowning.

1. The body should be taken out of the water with as much care and tenderness as the circumstances will permit; endeavor­ing always to keep the head raised a little more than the body.

In every case, hanging it by the heels, under the erroneous supposition of discharg­ing water from the lungs, rolling it on a bar­rel, or putting it across a log, and every kind of jolting and shaking, must be absolutely avoided as extremely injurious.

2. The body should be carried on a wide board, or in some other easy manner to the nearest convenient place, into as large a room as can be had; the clothes must be imme­diately taken off, the whole skin wiped dry with flannel and examined so as to determine whether any wounds have happened to it, and the body should then be wrapped up in warm blankets. It should then be laid on a table, if at hand, with the head a little raised, and if the weather be cold, before a fire. All crowds of people must be kept off; and no more than six persons must ever [Page 14] be admitted, and on many occasions they will be too many.

3. As soon as possible, after the foregoing directions have been attended to, a bellows, ^* which must be clear of all dirt and dust should be applied to one nostril, while another person should close the other nostril and the mouth, and at the same time press back the lower part of the wind-pipe, where it is largest, or that part sometimes called Adam's apple. The person who holds the bellows must then blow gently, and repeat the blowing five or six times; when this is done and the breast is a little swelled, a third per­son must press the belly up, so as to force the air out; this must be done quick and effectually. The first must then repeat the blowing three or four times, and the third again press up the belly and force out the air.

N. B. This operation must be repeated steadily, five or six times, and occasionally or frequently renewed, at the discretion of the attendants, so as at length to imitate na­tural breathing as much as possible.

[Page 15]4. After the lungs have been filled with air a number of times by the means above men­tioned, the whole body, but particularly the breast, is to be rubbed with the hand; and if oil and the spirit of hartshorn can be pro­cured, let them be mixed in equal quantities, and rubbed on the breast and whole body; or if these cannot be procured, the body may be briskly rubbed with flannels moisten­ed with rum or gin made a little more than blood warm. During this time, the means recommended in the third article, viz. the use of the bellows is still to be continued.

5. As soon as the patient is able to swal­low, and before, if means ^* can be found to introduce it into the stomach, he should take from twenty to one hundred drops of the essence of pepper mint in a glass of water, or a tea-spoonful of Vitriolic AEther, mixed with a­bout ten or fifteen tea-spoonfuls of pure water; but if these are not easily procured, let him swallow half a gill of brandy, spirit, or wine, as is most convenient, and the dose should be repeated at the discretion of the persons who may have the care of the patient.

[Page 16]6. The feet and legs should be put into water, about blood-warm, and in the space of five or six minutes after this is done, warm­er water should be poured into the vessel so as to raise the temperature to about 98° de­grees of Fahrenheit's thermometer, which is two or three degrees above the blood heat in man. The feet should be continued in the warm bath, half, or even an whole hour, du­ring which time the body should be gently raised a little, and then supported with pil­lows and bolsters, or in any other convenient way, while brisk friction should be used over the whole body and limbs, especially the feet and legs; at the same time sneezing should be provoked by tickling the nostrils with a feather, or some other irritating substance.

7. If these means appear to give no re­lief within thirty, or at most forty minutes af­ter the recovery is attempted; warm water, with as much spirit of hartshorn, rum, or other distilled liquor mixed with it, as will produce a stimulating effect, ought, without any far­ther delay, to be used for a clyster; this ope­ration must be frequently repeated; after which the belly should be moved with the hands of one of the assistants, and the liquor be injected as far up the bowels as possible, till a motion ensue, upon producing which much of the success of the revival will depend.

[Page 17]N. B. Bleeding in the arm or jugular veins, cutting open the wind pipe, vomiting, and the use of tobacco being remedies of very doubtful and uncertain effect, perhaps always injurious, are absolutely to be avoid­ed, unless by the express direction of a skill­ful person, who may judge by the symp­toms, in what particular cases these remedies ought to be tried.

8. Electricity ^* being a most powerful a­gent, is a very proper remedy, when em­ployed by those physicians, or others, who understand its operation, and know how to use it with safety and with a probability of success. In all cases, the machine should be made to excite powerfully, otherwise the at­tempt to use it will be a loss of time, and so the precious moments of recovery may be lost for ever. When it is practicable to use elec­tricity, the patient may be properly placed on an electrical table, that is, insulated, and then electrified as much as possible; after this is continued four or five minutes, the [Page 18]hand of one of the attendants should be applied close to the body, so as to take strong sparks, which should be drawn from the left side over the heart. If this should produce no appearance of life or motion, light shocks (which should be increased each operation) should be sent from the breast bone through to the back, or from side to side, so as to excite the heart to action, if possible. Rubbing the electrified body with a woollen cloth, will also be very proper, and this should be continued for the space of half an hour.

9. In all cases, one of the principal objects should be to restore a healthful degree of heat to the body, without which animal motion or life cannot be renewed. This is to be done by perseverance in the foregoing directions, and particularly by applying warm cloths to the body, which should be moistened with hot spirits, and by rubbing the body with them, and by applying hot bricks made wet with vinegar to the soles of the feet. If possible, two vigorous and healthful persons should be persuaded to strip themselves naked and lie on each side of the body, embracing it closely and imparting their animal heat to the patient. But a warming-pan with burning coals, should never be used, on account of the in­temperate heat and the fumes of the coals.

[Page 19]10. In all cases of sudden apparent death, where no organ essential to life appears to be destroyed, the foregoing methods are to be per­sisted in, at least FOUR HOURS, with unin­terrupted perseverance; and no others are to be used without the express advice of a physi­cian, who should be called to the patient as soon as possible. Whenever the methods employed are successful, great care ought to be taken to restore the equal action of the system; to relieve the convulsive moti­ons; to make every thing quiet and easy about the patient; to keep the bowels free, to use moderate bleeding when the symptoms in the recovered person require it, and to regulate the diet and exercise.

N. B. All hurry, indiscriminate and violent efforts and operations are carefully to be avoided, and all injuries to the skin, every thing is to be done with discretion and mo­deration; no disagreement about the mode of treatment should be suffered to take place at the critical time of attempting reco­very, which is too apt to be the case among the confused crowd of advisers, who are ge­nerally collected together on the occasion; some from the best motives to afford assistance, and others from curiosity.

SECTION II. OF HANGING.

As some persons, either through melan­choly, or distraction, attempt, by means of hanging, to destroy themselves; and as accidents producing like effects, sometimes happen, it is thought not improper to pub­lish some directions how to proceed in such cases; and here it is to be remarked, that, as sometimes there may be an advantage in bleeding, it will be particularly necessary to have recourse to medical advice: The same general methods of cure are to be pursued in this case as in that of drowning.

SECTION III. Of drinking Cold Liquors, and eating Ices in hot weather.

To prevent the bad effects of Cold Liquors.

1. It will be best never to drink while very hot: or,

2. To drink a little at a time, holding it in the mouth some moments before swal­lowing: or,

[Page 21]3. To hold the vessel some moments with both hands, till the liquor may be sup­posed to be tempered: or,

4. To wash the hands and face, and rinse the mouth and throat before drinking; and then to drink moderately, and often repeat it.

The eating of ices having become a fashionable luxury in hot weather, it is the more necessary to mention the bad effects of this practice: In general, they are apt to produce cholic, cholera morbus, and dysen­tery, or some other disease of the stomach and bowels; and frequently in women, especial­ly those of a delicate habit, this practice produces a suppression of the menses, and an ensuing loss of health.

In many cases the taking of ices will be highly salutary. In some diseases they may be used with great advantage, as in burn­ing, or inflammatory fevers, and for local applications in certain other diseases; but they never can be swallowed with safety, unless the following cautions be attended to: viz.

1. Hold the vessel in the hands of few mo­ments before taking the ice into the mouth.

[Page 22]2. Let the ice, particularly ice Creams, be completely dissolved in the mouth be­fore it be swallowed. This many are apt to neglect, on account of its producing pain in the teeth; but if the ice should be conveyed into the stomach, it will produce a much more serious evil than the tooth-ach.

3. All persons in health, who regale themselves with the eating of ices, as a mere delicacy in the warm season; immediate­ly after taking them, should swallow a glass of wine, or some spirituous drink.

To remove the bad effects when they have taken place.

1. Immediately cause the patient to drink a glass of some spirituous liquor.

2. If laudanum can be had, let him take from 10 to 100 drops, according to his age, habits, and the violence of the pain. N. B. People habituated to the use of ardent spirits, require much larger doses of laudanum than others; but in all cases it will be safest to use other stimulants, on account of the bad effects of large doses of opiate medicines.

3. Let the patient be removed to a [Page 23]place where he can have warm applicati­ons made to his body, particularly to the pit of his stomach, so as to restore the heat thereof.

4. Continue these means some time, and rub the body with warm flannels; oc­casionally administering warm spirituous drinks.

5. If the person be apparently dead, proceed as in the case of drowning.

6. Nothing farther is to be attempted without medical advice, which will fre­quently be necessary to prevent diseases from being the consequence of such a prac­tice.

SECTION IV. Of the Vapours of Fermenting Liquors, Lime­kilns, foul air of Mines, and the Fumes of wells, cisterns, and other close places.

Where there is danger of bad effects from any thing of this kind, there should be previous attempts to procure a free circu­lation, of air, in every possible way.

Fires, the explosion of gunpowder, quick­lime, and lime-water will be useful.

[Page 24]When it is necessary to go into wells and cisterns, and other close places containing poisonous vapours, a lighted candle should be first let down into those places; but as experience has proved, that it is not always safe to venture even where a candle will burn; and that some men by custom will live where others cannot; it is important that the greatest precautions be used in entering places where there is reason to fear a danger of this sort. It will be necessary therefore that no person enter without being within the observation of others, and so situated as that they may afford him assistance,

When a person is apparently dead, the same means as are directed for drowned persons, are proper.

But as such accidents sometimes happen where even these are not to be had; it is to be observed that persons have been recover­ed by having been stripped, placed in the open air, and having cold water dashed on them for some time.

Warmth and frictions have in other in­stances been attended with the happiest success.

In a particular manner, the face, temples, whole head and breast of the patient should [Page 25]be rubbed with strong vinegar, which should be applied to the nostrils by means of any common cloth.

SECTION V. Of Suffocation by burning Charcoal.

In general, the treatment is the same as recommended in the preceding article. But, the particular directions for avoiding the bad effects of the fumes of these sub­stances, are,

1. Not to remain near them when burn­ing.

2. To burn them in a chimney or open air.

N. B. The burning of charcoal in pots and close stoves should most carefully be avoided in the cabins of ships and vessels, and in all tight rooms, where chemical or mechanical works are going on, because fatal events have often taken place, where this caution has been neglected.

3. To avoid being so placed as that the current air will blow the fumes upon you; this is particularly necessary in all operati­ons with copper, mercury, lead, arsenic and cobalt.

[Page 26]4. It will be well to have a tub of water in all rooms where charcoal is burnt, and where metalic processes are carried on.

5. In all cases of sudden faintness, or fits, where works of this sort are carried on, vinegar being one of the most common, has also in repeated trials been found to be one of the best of remedies.

SECTION VI. Of Lightning.

To avoid its bad effects.

1. A Conductor.

2. When in a house, the middle of the room is the safest place.

3. When exposed to the storm abroad, the middle of a plain is safer, avoiding sin­gle trees, especially chesnut trees.

4. When in a wood or forest, avoid stand­ing under, or near any very tall trees.

5. During the rising and continuance of a thunder storm, avoid touching the conduc­tors of any building, or being very near them, especially at an open window.

[Page 27]6. In the country, shun all trees where scythes and other metallic implements of husbandry are hung up.

In case of the suspension of animal moti­on, the remedies are the same as for drown­ing; except that much stronger shocks of electricity should be sent from the breast, through to the back, and from one side of the breast to the other; and this should be done with as little delay as possible, in order to ex­cite the heart, and the system of blood vessels connected immediately with it, into motion.

SECTION VII. Of Still-born Infants.

These are to be treated, when the or­ganization seems to be perfect, and there are no appearances that the child had suffered death many hours before the birth, much in the same manner as persons who suffer by drowning; but more gentle and tender treatment must be observed; the tempe­rate healthful warmth must be kept up; the lungs must be inflated by blowing air into the nostrils, and at the same time keeping the mouth shut; the head is to be kept raised, and gentle frictions with warm [Page 28]water are to be used all over the body. In numbers of instances, where this plan has been pursued for the space of an hour and an half, or even longer, the animal motion has been restored.

SECTION VIII. Of extreme Refrigeration, or the effects of eating the sub-acid fruits to excess; such as currants, cherries, apples, peaches, me­lons, &c. &c.

The effects are very similar to those that arise from drinking cold liquors and eating Ice-Creams in the hot season; and in ge­neral the same method should be observed to effect a cure. But to prevent the inju­rious effects of taking fruit intemperately in the hot season, it will always be advisea­ble to take a little good wine, or ardent spi­rit, immediately after eating the fruit. The eating of a little good old cheese with some bread, immediately after the fruit, is also a very salutary practice.

N. B. There are but few cases that can be relieved by emetics, and whenever these are administered, it should be done by the [Page 29]advice of some judicious person, and with great caution.

SECTION IX. Of Extreme Cold.

SECTION X. Of the Heat of the Sun.

The degree of danger when exposed to the sun, may be judged of from the follow­ing symptoms, viz.

1. Head-ache, with throbbing and gid­diness.

2. Disposition to faint, and stupidity.

3. Heat and dryness of the skin, and red­ness of the eyes.

4. Difficult breathing, speaking and moving.

SECTION XI. Of Intoxication, or Drunkenness.

The symptoms are too well known to need any description.

The treatment must be varied according to different constitutions and circumstances; and in case of sudden apparent death, the fore­going rules must be observed. In general, it may be recommended to lay the body in an easy posture, and in a cool place, with the head a little raised; to loose all tight things about the body and limbs, particularly the neck; to suffer the patient to sleep, to make him smell the fumes of strong vinegar, and to rub the body gently with vinegar and water. After the debauch is over, the bow­els should be moderately purged, or opened with a clyster, unless the strong liquors have done this before; or produced vomiting, which should never be much urged with medi­cines. [Page 35]Let him drink freely of cool water at the time of intoxication, and swallow a few spoonfuls of olive oil, or some other mild oil; but afterwards, when he begins to suf­fer debility and sickness at his stomach, let the stimulus of ardent spirits be changed for something more durable, such as good soup, well seasoned with salt and pepper, occasi­onally using some cordial drink, which the effect of habit in those who have made too free a use of strong liquors, will often abso­lutely require; exercise, and even labour in proportion to the strength of the patient, should also be enjoined.

There are but few who have resolution enough to conquer a tipling habit; but this number would be greater if they knew how to proceed; for their benefit the following advice is offered.

The only effectual method to get rid of habitual intoxication is, to diminish the quantity of strong liquor daily and gradually, which, with inflexible resolution, will destroy the habit; or to change the stimulus of strong liquors for something more durable, and which is not endued with any stupifying property: For this purpose, proper food should be taken, and an electuary composed of the [Page 36] powder of Peruvian bark, wild valerean, or Columbo root, with the oil of Cloves, or some other essential oil, has, in many cases, been found very useful; a piece as large as a nut­meg, should be taken several times in the day, especially when a sinking faintness is felt at the stomach.

All who have studied the nature and properties of the stomach, know that the tone of that organ is destroyed by the ex­cessive use of strong liquors; the liquor of the stomach becomes vitiated and sour, and the food is consequently not properly di­gested and converted into good nourishment, so that the whole body soon becomes in­jured.

In this situation, one of the best things that can be done, is to abstain entirely from from all spirituous liquors; such as rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, Roman and hot purl, mint juleps, and all other mixtures of spirituous drinks, many of which are rendered still more pernicious by being mixed with metalic and other poisonous sub­stances.

To relieve the patient from some of these evils, the newly expressed juice of lemons or limes has been found very serviceable; but [Page 37]what is much better, let him take from twenty to one hundred drops of the spirit of hartshorn, in a small cup of water, several times in the day; this will tend to destroy the morbid acid in the stomach, and to keep out the wind, as dram-drinkers express it, much more effectually than drams them­selves, and by being a substitute for the sti­mulus of the stupifying liquors, it will pre­vent languor, faintness and that dejection of mind, which too frequently drive the restless victim to the delusive relief of the bowl and the glass.

Temperance in eating should also be strictly observed, the want of which is often, productive of as bad, or even worse effects than intemperance in drinking.

Persons who fall sacrifices to these habits generally imagine that they are troubled with bilious disorders; and of their own choice, or by the foolish advice of others, as ignorant as themselves, they fly, for eve­ry little uneasiness arising from the derange­ment of the digestive organs, to the use of emetics, by which they are but too often hurried out of existence, especially when this is accompanied with a liberal use of the lancet.

SECTION XII. Of Convulsions, Swoons, Fits and Trances.

These sometimes produce the common appearances of death, while the patient is in a recoverable condition. As these events arise from some peculiar state of the imagi­nation, violent operations of the passions, or from some disease of an earlier date, as Epilepsy, catalepsy, hysterics, &c. no ve­ry particular directions can be given in this place, except calling for proper help and advice in dangerous cases, as soon as may be.

And it is always to be remembered, that persons have sometimes been recovered from apparent death, after sudden and vio­lent sickness, as in the case of jail and other malignant fevers. After the proper methods of recovery have been tried for a sufficient length of time, and without success, the in­terment of the body ought to be delayed in all instances, till evident appearances of a beginning putrefaction have taken place, for in almost all cases where the body remains apparently whole, putrefaction is found to be the only certain evidence of the absolute extinction of life, or suspension of animal motion. If this caution be not properly ob­served, [Page 39]after all the usual methods of recovery have been tried in vain, the person may after­wards suffer the indescribable horrors of those, who, we have too much reason not to believe, have, in some instances, while the spark of life remained in a latent state, been prema­turely committed to the grave. By these cautions the "terror of premature inter­ment," and the anxious fears in the minds of the surviving relatives, that such an event may have happened, can at all times be made to vanish.