Chapter XXVIII.

Chapter XXVIII.Directions with Respect to drowned Persons.93Sect.401.Whenever a Person who has been drowned, has remained a Quarter of an Hour under Water, there can be no considerable Hopes of his Recovery: the Space of two or three Minutes in such a Situation being often sufficient to kill a Man irrecoverably. Nevertheless, as several Circumstances may happen to have continued Life, in such an unfortunate Situation, beyond the ordinary Term, we should always endeavour to afford them the most effectual Relief, and not give them up as irrecoverable too soon: since it has often been known, that until the Expiration of two, and sometimes even of three Hours, such Bodies have exhibited some apparent Tokens of Life.Water has sometimes been found in the Stomach of drowned Persons; at other times none at all. Besides, the greatest Quantity which has ever been found in it has not exceeded that, which may be drank without any Inconvenience; whence we may conclude, the meer Quantity was not mortal; neither is it very easy to conceive how drowned Persons can swallow Water. What really kills them is meer Suffocation, or the Interception of Air, of the Action of breathing; and the Water which descends into the Lungs, and which is determined there, by the Efforts they necessarily, though involuntarily make, to draw Breath, after they are under Water: for there absolutely does not any Water descend, either into the Stomach or the Lungs of Bodies plunged into Water, after they are dead; a Circumstance, which serves to establish a legal Sentence and Judgment in some criminal Cases, and Trials: This Water intimately blending itself with the Air in the Lungs, forms a viscid inactive Kind of Froth, which entirely destroys the Functions of the Lungs; whence the miserable Sufferer is not only suffocated, but the Return of the Blood from the Head being also intercepted, the Blood Vessels of the Brain are overcharged, and an Apoplexy is combined with the Suffocation. This second Cause, that is, the Descent of the Water into the Lungs, is far from being general, it having been evident from the Dissection of several drowned Bodies, that it really never had existed in them.§ 402. The Intention that should be pursued, is that of unloading the Lungs and the Brain, and of reviving the extinguished Circulation. For which Purpose we should, 1, immediately strip the Sufferer of all his wet Cloaths; rub him strongly with dry coarse Linnen; put him, as soon as possible, into a well heated Bed, and continue to rub him well a very considerable Time together.2, A strong and healthy Person should force his own warm Breath into the Patient's Lungs; and the Smoke of Tobacco, if some was at Hand, by Means of some Pipe, Chanel, Funnel or the like, that may be introduced into the Mouth. This Air or Fume, being forcibly blown in, by stopping the Sufferer's Nostrils close at the same Time, penetrates into the Lungs, and there rarifies by its Heat that Air, which blended with the Water, composed the viscid Spume or Froth. Hence that Air becomes disengaged from the Water, recovers its Spring, dilates the Lungs; and, if there still remains within any Principle of Life, the Circulation is renewed again that Instant.3, If a moderately expert Surgeon is at Hand, he must open the jugular Vein, or any large Vein in the Neck, and let out ten or twelve Ounces of Blood. Such a Bleeding is serviceable on many Accounts. First, merely as Bleeding, it renews the Circulation, which is the constant Effect of Bleeding in such Swoonings, as arise from an intercepted or suffocated Circulation.Secondly, it is that particular Bleeding, which most suddenly removes, in such Cases, the Infarction or Obstruction of the Head and Lungs; and, thirdly, it is sometimes the only Vessel, whence Blood will issue under such Circumstances. The Veins of the Feet then afford none; and those of the Arms seldom; but the Jugulars almost constantly furnish it.Fourthly, the Fume of Tobacco should be thrown up, as speedily and plentifully as possible, into the Intestines by the Fundament. There are very commodious Contrivances devised for this Purpose; but as they are not common, it may be effected by many speedy Means. One, by which a Woman's Life was preserved, consisted only in introducing the small Tube of a Tobacco Pipe well lighted up: the Head or Bowl of it was wrapped up in a Paper, in which several Holes were pricked, and through these the Breath was strongly forced. At the fifth Blast a considerable Rumbling was heard in the Woman's Belly; she threw up a little Water, and a Moment afterwards came to her Senses. Two Pipes may be thus lighted and applied, with their Bowls covered over; the Extremity of one is to be introduced into the Fundament; and the other may be blown through into the Lungs.Any other Vapour may also be conveyed up, by introducing aCanula, or any other Pipe, with a Bladder firmly fixed to it. This Bladder is fastened at its other End to a large Tin Funnel, under which Tobacco is to be lighted. ThisContrivance has succeeded with me upon other Occasions, in which Necessity compelled me to invent and apply it.Fifthly, the strongest Volatiles should be applied to the Patient's Nostrils. The Powder of some strong dry Herb should be blown up his Nose, such as Sage, Rosemary, Rue, Mint, and especially Marjoram, or very well dried Tobacco; or even the Fume, the Smoke of these Herbs. But all these Means are most properly employed after Bleeding, when they are most efficacious and certain.Sixthly, as long as the Patient shews no Signs of Life, he will be unable to swallow, and it is then useless, and even dangerous, to pour much Liquid of any kind into his Mouth, which could do nothing but keep up, or increase Suffocation. It is sufficient, in such Circumstances, to instil a few Drops of some irritating Liquor, which might also be cordial and reviving. But as soon as ever he discovers any Motion, he should take, within the Space of one Hour, five or six common Spoonfuls of Oxymel of Squills diluted with warm Water: or if that Medicine was not to be had very speedily, a strong Infusion of the blessed Thistle, orCarduus benedictus, of Sage, or of Chamomile Flowers sweetened with Honey, might do instead of it: and supposing nothing else to be had, some warm Water, with the Addition of a little common Salt, should be given. Some Persons are bold enough to recommend Vomits in such Cases; but they are not without their Inconvenience;and it is not as a Vomit that I recommend the Oxymel of Squills in them.Seventhly, Notwithstanding the Sick discover some Tokens of Life, we should not cease to continue our Assistance; since they sometimes irrecoverably expire, after these first Appearances of recovering.And lastly, though they should be manifestly re-animated, there sometimes remains an Oppression, a Coughing and Feverishness, which effectually constitute a Disease: and then it becomes necessary sometimes to bleed them in the Arms; to give them Barley Water plentifully, or Elder-flower Tea.§ 403. Having thus pointed out such Means as are necessary, and truly effectual, in such unfortunate Accidents, I shall very briefly mention some others, which it is the general Custom to use and apply in the first Hurry.1, These unhappy People are sometimes wrapped up in a Sheep's, or a Calf's, or a Dog's Skin, immediately flead from the Animal: these Applications have sometimes indeed revived the Heat of the Drowned; but their Operations are more slow, and less efficacious, than the Heat of a well-warmed Bed; with the additional Vapour of burnt Sugar, and long continued Frictions with hot Flanels.2, The Method of rolling them in an empty Hogshead is dangerous, and mispends a deal of important Time.3, That also of hanging them up by the Feet is attended with Danger, and ought to be wholly discontinued. The Froth or Foam, which is one of the Causes of their Death, is too thick and tough to discharge itself, in Consequence of its own Weight. Nevertheless, this is the only Effect that can be expected, from this Custom of suspending them by the Feet; which must also be hurtful, by its tending to increase the Overfulness of the Head and of the Lungs.§ 404. It is some Years since a Girl of eighteen Years old was recovered [though it is unknown whether she remained under Water only a little Time or some Hours] who was motionless, frozen as it were, insensible, with her Eyes closed, her Mouth wide open, a livid Colour, a swoln Visage, a Tumour or bloating of the whole Body, which was overladen as it were, or Water-soaked. This miserable Object was extended on a Kind of Bed, of hot or very warm Ashes, quickly heated in great Kettles; and by laying her quite naked on these Ashes; by covering her with others equally hot; by putting a Bonnet round her Head, with a Stocking round her Neck stuffed with the same, and heaping Coverings over all this, at the End of half an Hour her Pulse returned, she recovered her Speech, and cried out,I freeze, I freeze: A little Cherry-Brandy was given her, and then she remained buried, as it were, eight Hours under the Ashes; being taken out of them afterwards without any other Complaint, except that of great Lassitudeor Weariness, which went entirely off the third Day. This Method was undoubtedly so effectual, that it well deserves Imitation; but it should not make us inattentive to the others. Heated Gravel or Sand mixed with Salt, or hot Salt alone, would have been equally efficacious, and they have been found so.At the very Time of writing this, two young Ducks, who were drowned, have been revived by a dry Bath of hot Ashes. The Heat of a Dung-heap may also be beneficial; and I have just been informed, by a very creditable and sensible Spectator of it, that it effectually contributed to restore Life to a Man, who had certainly remained six Hours under Water.§ 405. I shall conclude these Directions with an Article printed in a little Work atParis, about twenty Years since, by Order of the King, to which there is not the least Doubt, but that any other Sovereign will readily accede.“Notwithstanding the common People are very generally disposed to be compassionate, and may wish to give all Assistance to drowned Persons, it frequently happens they do not, only because they dare not; imagining they expose themselves by it to Prosecutions. It is therefore necessary, that they should know, and it cannot be too often repeated, in order to eradicate such a pernicious Prejudice, that the Magistrates have never interposed to prevent People from trying every possible Means to recover such unfortunate Persons, as shallbe drowned and taken out of the Water. It is only in those Cases, when the Persons are known to be absolutely and irrecoverably dead, that Justice renders it necessary to seize their Bodies.”

Directions with Respect to drowned Persons.93

Sect.401.

Whenever a Person who has been drowned, has remained a Quarter of an Hour under Water, there can be no considerable Hopes of his Recovery: the Space of two or three Minutes in such a Situation being often sufficient to kill a Man irrecoverably. Nevertheless, as several Circumstances may happen to have continued Life, in such an unfortunate Situation, beyond the ordinary Term, we should always endeavour to afford them the most effectual Relief, and not give them up as irrecoverable too soon: since it has often been known, that until the Expiration of two, and sometimes even of three Hours, such Bodies have exhibited some apparent Tokens of Life.

Water has sometimes been found in the Stomach of drowned Persons; at other times none at all. Besides, the greatest Quantity which has ever been found in it has not exceeded that, which may be drank without any Inconvenience; whence we may conclude, the meer Quantity was not mortal; neither is it very easy to conceive how drowned Persons can swallow Water. What really kills them is meer Suffocation, or the Interception of Air, of the Action of breathing; and the Water which descends into the Lungs, and which is determined there, by the Efforts they necessarily, though involuntarily make, to draw Breath, after they are under Water: for there absolutely does not any Water descend, either into the Stomach or the Lungs of Bodies plunged into Water, after they are dead; a Circumstance, which serves to establish a legal Sentence and Judgment in some criminal Cases, and Trials: This Water intimately blending itself with the Air in the Lungs, forms a viscid inactive Kind of Froth, which entirely destroys the Functions of the Lungs; whence the miserable Sufferer is not only suffocated, but the Return of the Blood from the Head being also intercepted, the Blood Vessels of the Brain are overcharged, and an Apoplexy is combined with the Suffocation. This second Cause, that is, the Descent of the Water into the Lungs, is far from being general, it having been evident from the Dissection of several drowned Bodies, that it really never had existed in them.

§ 402. The Intention that should be pursued, is that of unloading the Lungs and the Brain, and of reviving the extinguished Circulation. For which Purpose we should, 1, immediately strip the Sufferer of all his wet Cloaths; rub him strongly with dry coarse Linnen; put him, as soon as possible, into a well heated Bed, and continue to rub him well a very considerable Time together.

2, A strong and healthy Person should force his own warm Breath into the Patient's Lungs; and the Smoke of Tobacco, if some was at Hand, by Means of some Pipe, Chanel, Funnel or the like, that may be introduced into the Mouth. This Air or Fume, being forcibly blown in, by stopping the Sufferer's Nostrils close at the same Time, penetrates into the Lungs, and there rarifies by its Heat that Air, which blended with the Water, composed the viscid Spume or Froth. Hence that Air becomes disengaged from the Water, recovers its Spring, dilates the Lungs; and, if there still remains within any Principle of Life, the Circulation is renewed again that Instant.

3, If a moderately expert Surgeon is at Hand, he must open the jugular Vein, or any large Vein in the Neck, and let out ten or twelve Ounces of Blood. Such a Bleeding is serviceable on many Accounts. First, merely as Bleeding, it renews the Circulation, which is the constant Effect of Bleeding in such Swoonings, as arise from an intercepted or suffocated Circulation.Secondly, it is that particular Bleeding, which most suddenly removes, in such Cases, the Infarction or Obstruction of the Head and Lungs; and, thirdly, it is sometimes the only Vessel, whence Blood will issue under such Circumstances. The Veins of the Feet then afford none; and those of the Arms seldom; but the Jugulars almost constantly furnish it.

Fourthly, the Fume of Tobacco should be thrown up, as speedily and plentifully as possible, into the Intestines by the Fundament. There are very commodious Contrivances devised for this Purpose; but as they are not common, it may be effected by many speedy Means. One, by which a Woman's Life was preserved, consisted only in introducing the small Tube of a Tobacco Pipe well lighted up: the Head or Bowl of it was wrapped up in a Paper, in which several Holes were pricked, and through these the Breath was strongly forced. At the fifth Blast a considerable Rumbling was heard in the Woman's Belly; she threw up a little Water, and a Moment afterwards came to her Senses. Two Pipes may be thus lighted and applied, with their Bowls covered over; the Extremity of one is to be introduced into the Fundament; and the other may be blown through into the Lungs.

Any other Vapour may also be conveyed up, by introducing aCanula, or any other Pipe, with a Bladder firmly fixed to it. This Bladder is fastened at its other End to a large Tin Funnel, under which Tobacco is to be lighted. ThisContrivance has succeeded with me upon other Occasions, in which Necessity compelled me to invent and apply it.

Fifthly, the strongest Volatiles should be applied to the Patient's Nostrils. The Powder of some strong dry Herb should be blown up his Nose, such as Sage, Rosemary, Rue, Mint, and especially Marjoram, or very well dried Tobacco; or even the Fume, the Smoke of these Herbs. But all these Means are most properly employed after Bleeding, when they are most efficacious and certain.

Sixthly, as long as the Patient shews no Signs of Life, he will be unable to swallow, and it is then useless, and even dangerous, to pour much Liquid of any kind into his Mouth, which could do nothing but keep up, or increase Suffocation. It is sufficient, in such Circumstances, to instil a few Drops of some irritating Liquor, which might also be cordial and reviving. But as soon as ever he discovers any Motion, he should take, within the Space of one Hour, five or six common Spoonfuls of Oxymel of Squills diluted with warm Water: or if that Medicine was not to be had very speedily, a strong Infusion of the blessed Thistle, orCarduus benedictus, of Sage, or of Chamomile Flowers sweetened with Honey, might do instead of it: and supposing nothing else to be had, some warm Water, with the Addition of a little common Salt, should be given. Some Persons are bold enough to recommend Vomits in such Cases; but they are not without their Inconvenience;and it is not as a Vomit that I recommend the Oxymel of Squills in them.

Seventhly, Notwithstanding the Sick discover some Tokens of Life, we should not cease to continue our Assistance; since they sometimes irrecoverably expire, after these first Appearances of recovering.

And lastly, though they should be manifestly re-animated, there sometimes remains an Oppression, a Coughing and Feverishness, which effectually constitute a Disease: and then it becomes necessary sometimes to bleed them in the Arms; to give them Barley Water plentifully, or Elder-flower Tea.

§ 403. Having thus pointed out such Means as are necessary, and truly effectual, in such unfortunate Accidents, I shall very briefly mention some others, which it is the general Custom to use and apply in the first Hurry.

1, These unhappy People are sometimes wrapped up in a Sheep's, or a Calf's, or a Dog's Skin, immediately flead from the Animal: these Applications have sometimes indeed revived the Heat of the Drowned; but their Operations are more slow, and less efficacious, than the Heat of a well-warmed Bed; with the additional Vapour of burnt Sugar, and long continued Frictions with hot Flanels.

2, The Method of rolling them in an empty Hogshead is dangerous, and mispends a deal of important Time.

3, That also of hanging them up by the Feet is attended with Danger, and ought to be wholly discontinued. The Froth or Foam, which is one of the Causes of their Death, is too thick and tough to discharge itself, in Consequence of its own Weight. Nevertheless, this is the only Effect that can be expected, from this Custom of suspending them by the Feet; which must also be hurtful, by its tending to increase the Overfulness of the Head and of the Lungs.

§ 404. It is some Years since a Girl of eighteen Years old was recovered [though it is unknown whether she remained under Water only a little Time or some Hours] who was motionless, frozen as it were, insensible, with her Eyes closed, her Mouth wide open, a livid Colour, a swoln Visage, a Tumour or bloating of the whole Body, which was overladen as it were, or Water-soaked. This miserable Object was extended on a Kind of Bed, of hot or very warm Ashes, quickly heated in great Kettles; and by laying her quite naked on these Ashes; by covering her with others equally hot; by putting a Bonnet round her Head, with a Stocking round her Neck stuffed with the same, and heaping Coverings over all this, at the End of half an Hour her Pulse returned, she recovered her Speech, and cried out,I freeze, I freeze: A little Cherry-Brandy was given her, and then she remained buried, as it were, eight Hours under the Ashes; being taken out of them afterwards without any other Complaint, except that of great Lassitudeor Weariness, which went entirely off the third Day. This Method was undoubtedly so effectual, that it well deserves Imitation; but it should not make us inattentive to the others. Heated Gravel or Sand mixed with Salt, or hot Salt alone, would have been equally efficacious, and they have been found so.

At the very Time of writing this, two young Ducks, who were drowned, have been revived by a dry Bath of hot Ashes. The Heat of a Dung-heap may also be beneficial; and I have just been informed, by a very creditable and sensible Spectator of it, that it effectually contributed to restore Life to a Man, who had certainly remained six Hours under Water.

§ 405. I shall conclude these Directions with an Article printed in a little Work atParis, about twenty Years since, by Order of the King, to which there is not the least Doubt, but that any other Sovereign will readily accede.

“Notwithstanding the common People are very generally disposed to be compassionate, and may wish to give all Assistance to drowned Persons, it frequently happens they do not, only because they dare not; imagining they expose themselves by it to Prosecutions. It is therefore necessary, that they should know, and it cannot be too often repeated, in order to eradicate such a pernicious Prejudice, that the Magistrates have never interposed to prevent People from trying every possible Means to recover such unfortunate Persons, as shallbe drowned and taken out of the Water. It is only in those Cases, when the Persons are known to be absolutely and irrecoverably dead, that Justice renders it necessary to seize their Bodies.”

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