RC 87 
 
 C68 
 
 I Copy 1 
 
 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 DOaiflbSEEflb 
 
AN 
 
 ®^g&T 
 
 SUSPENDED ANIMATION. 
 
 S. COLHOUN, M.D. 
 
 MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETT, 
 
 PHILADELPHIA.- 
 
 PUBLISHED BY EDWARD PARKER, 178 MARKET ST. 
 
 WILLIAM BEOWN, PRINTER, 
 1823. 
 

 
 [COPY-RIGHT SECURED.] 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 This Essay is conducted upon the following 
 plan : The general nature and causes of Asphyxia 
 are first detailed ; the species from submersion is 
 then considered ; next, the mode in which its causes 
 operate ; for this purpose, Respiration, as the function 
 
 nore particularly concerned, is first introduced, in- 
 volving the examination of the effects of the various 
 
 ;ases ; of animal temperature, and of death from cold. 
 After this preparatory discussion, the cure of as- 
 phyxia from submersion, with that of its other spe- 
 cies, is given ; and a history of the progress of 
 resuscitation, authors, and humane societies, with the 
 necessary apparatus, concludes the Essay. 
 
 With regard to the manner of its execution, it 
 consists of a simple detail of facts, collected from the 
 best authorities, as well as from a series of experi- 
 
merits, whose object was to develope completely, 
 and establish upon certain foundations, the truth of 
 what was already known, as well as to discover 
 something new, and thus to deduce a correct patho- 
 logy and rational mode of cure. 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 Introductory Remarks, 1 
 
 On Suspended Animation from Submersion, . 3 
 On the Mode in which the Causes of Asphyxia ope- 
 rate, ....... 27 
 
 Of the Function of Respiration as the Place of Ori- 
 gin of Suspended Animation, . . 31 
 
 On the Cure of Asphtxia: 
 
 From Submersion, . . . . .59 
 
 From Hanging, ..... 8S 
 
 From Noxious Vapours, ... 90 
 
 From Cold, 92 
 
 From Lightning, . . . 95 
 
 From Fevers, . . . . .98 
 
 From Pressure on the Umbilical Cord, . 100 
 From Excessive Intoxication, . .102 
 
 The History of Humane Societies, and Authors on 
 
 Resuscitation, . . . . .105 
 
 The Apparatus and Mechanical Mea?is proposed 
 for the Cure of Asphyxia. 
 1. Of the London Humane Society, . .108 
 
 Original Documents. 
 
 Experiments, . . ; , . . , 111 
 
AN ESSAY 
 
 SUSPENDED ANIMATION. 
 
 LIFE is suspended, when its functions cease, 
 but can be renewed ; and is designated by the 
 terms Asphyxia, Trance, and Suspended Anima« 
 tion. 
 
 Its causes operate either directly or indirectly 
 on the lungs, the organs in which it arises, and 
 may be produced by the suspension, either of 
 their mechanical, chemical, or vital phenomena. 
 
 When it is caused by the division of the eight 
 pair of nerves, or of the upper part of the spinal 
 marrow; by wounds in the chest; by a strong com- 
 pression of the thorax and abdomen ; a sudden in- 
 jection into, or gradual accumulation of, fluid in 
 the cavity of the chest ; the mechanical pheno- 
 
mena of respiration are first interrupted, the oxy- 
 genation of the blood is prevented, and asphyxia 
 is produced. 
 
 When it arises from a removal of the air, as in 
 a vacuum ; or by its extreme rarefaction, as in the 
 ascent of very high mountains ; by submersion in 
 water or noxious gasses ; by artificial closure of 
 the trachea, as in suspension by the cord ; or by 
 natural means, as in the pressure of tumors in the 
 trachea, in the oesophagus, throat, larynx or mouth, 
 obstructing the passage of air, or by mucous col- 
 lections in the lungs, the oxygenation of the blood 
 is impossible, and thus the suspension of the che- 
 mical phenomena of respiration becomes its cause. 
 
 By the diminution of the vital powers gene- 
 rally, as by cold ; lightning ; fever ; small pox ; 
 hysteria ; syncope ; apoplexy ; the oxygenation of 
 the blood is with equal certainty prevented, and 
 animation is suspended. 
 
 Pressure on the umbilical cord in tedious de- 
 liveries is also supposed to produce it. 
 
 The symptoms of asphyxia are slightly varied 
 by these different causes. They, however, agree 
 in their essential characters, the changes produc- 
 ed in the organs immediately concerned and ne- 
 cessary to life, the lungs, the heart, and the brain. 
 
 The most common causes of this disease are 
 
submersion in water, suspension by the cord, and 
 noxious vapours ; as the first occurs most fre- 
 quently, it will form more especially the subject 
 of the following pages. 
 
 On Suspended Animation from Submersion in 
 ■water. 
 
 When an animal falls into water it struggles 
 violently, and attempts to inspire ; expiration soon 
 follows, and bubbles of air rise to the surface ; the 
 struggles become more violent, the animal rises 
 again, and inspiration is again attempted ; the con- 
 tents of the thorax are expelled, and it becomes 
 greatly diminished in capacity ; deglutition is per- 
 formed in these struggles, the animal swallows a 
 small quantity of water; the pupils are dilated, the 
 eyes protruded and glassy ; the tongue and gums 
 become of a leaden or livid colour, and death 
 follows generally in the space of from one to four 
 minutes.* 
 
 The pulse in fifteen or twenty seconds after 
 
 * Oswald on the phenomena of suspended animal life, p. 2, 
 1'hiL Ed. 1802, 
 
submersion, in one experiment, became more fre- 
 quent and weak, gradually increasing in fulness 
 and becoming less frequent, till, in sixty seconds, 
 It was slower by fifteen or twenty beats, and more 
 full ; it then gradually declined, and between two 
 and three minutes it ceased altogether.* 
 
 Goodwyn describes the pulse as weak and fre- 
 quent ; the fulness, which follows, he does not 
 mention :f After apparent death, in the space of 
 from fifteen seconds to one minute, a violent and 
 general convulsive motion takes place ; it is regu- 
 lar, slow, and strong, sometimes remaining nearly 
 five seconds, returning again at a very short in- 
 terval, and repeated two or three times in every 
 minute for the space of a quarter of an hour or 
 more, generally for about ten minutes after the 
 natural struggling has ceased4 The muscles of 
 respiration are particularly concerned ; gasping 
 also attends it, and when the animal is removed 
 from the water a deep inspiration is made, and 
 succeeded in a few seconds by an expiration, ren- 
 dering it probable, that these convulsions are in- 
 
 * Oswald on the phenomena of suspended animal life, p. 2 ? 
 Phil. Ed. 1802. 
 
 f Goodwyn on the connection of life with respiration, Stc. 
 
 } Oswald on the phenomena, and Kite's Essays and Obser 
 vations, p. 119. 1795, I.oncL 
 
tended by nature to re-establish the functions of 
 the lungs.* 
 
 According to my experiments, the symptoms 
 of drowning, are ; the animal is frequently per- 
 fectly still for some seconds after submersion ; 
 bubbles of air rise to the surface, forced from the 
 lungs by the muscles of expiration ; violent strug- 
 gling succeeds ; the eyes are turned upwards ; the 
 feet are moved directly downwards, pressing 
 against the bottom of the vessel in order to force 
 the body upwards,! and continuing between for- 
 ty-five seconds and one minute ; the motions and 
 looks of the animal then become irregular, and are 
 directed in no particular manner ; the head is 
 thrown about from side to side, the tongue is pro- 
 truded ; the animal gasps, gnashes his teeth, and 
 attempts to swallow ; the pupils become dilated ; 
 the eyes staring, protruded, and glassy ; and 
 finally some frothy water is ejected, the struggles 
 ceasing in the space of from one and a quarter, 
 one and a half, two and a half, three, and some- 
 times not till the fifth and sixth minute ;^ in one 
 instance the heart was felt beating violently after 
 
 * Oswald on the phenomena, and Kite's Essays and Obser- 
 vations, p. 119. 1795, Lond. 
 
 f Expts. 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14. 
 
 * Expts. 1, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 8, 26. 
 
 A 2 
 
four minutes immersion ;* the convulsive stretch- 
 ing and gasping continued for two, three, and four 
 minutes,| but it never was observed after six mi- 
 nutes, the animal being entirely dead after that pe- 
 riod. 
 
 The symptoms felt on submersion by persons, 
 who have been drowned and recovered, are stated 
 to have been great anxiety, giddiness and loss of 
 sense or recollection ; in one instance the person 
 crept along the bottom to reach the shore ; his 
 senses failed ; he was taken up for dead, and aftev 
 recovery, gave this account4 
 
 In animals, the state of feeling is pretty certain- 
 after submersion; their violent struggles show their 
 anxiety and pain ; th*e period of the continuance 
 of sense is exactly ascertained to be between three 
 quarters and one minute from the sudden irregula- 
 rity and convulsive distraction of their movements 
 occurring at the end of that period, after succes- 
 sive systematic and well directed efforts to escape, 
 evinced by§ their looking directly upwards, and 
 aressure of the feet against the bottom of the ves- 
 
 » Exp. 9. 
 j Expts. 5, 6, 7, 8. 
 
 4 Mem. of the Soc. inst. at Amsterd. &c. translated by T. 
 Cogan, M. D. 
 
 § Expts. 5, 6, 7, 8, 14. 
 
sel, forcing the body towards the top of the wa- 
 ter. 
 
 After submersion, the human body is cold, re- 
 laxed, swollen ; the head bloated, the face disfigur- 
 ed ; the colour leaden, violet, livid or black; the 
 lips are sometimes enlarged, the eyes flaccid, dis- 
 tended, dim and partly closed ; the teeth are set, 
 the mouth and nose covered with froth ; the tongue 
 is blue, livid, swelled or protruded ; the chest is 
 raised ; the abdomen tense, and the body is with- 
 out pulse at the wrist or beating at the heart ; sen- 
 sibility, sense and motion are completely suspend- 
 ed, and if the submersion has been sufficiently 
 long to produce absolute death, the limbs are stiff, 
 sometimes thoughrarely flexible, and the sphincter 
 ani is generally relaxed. 
 
 From the circumstance that anxiety is the first 
 morbid symptom after submersion, it is evident, 
 that the disease commences in the lungs ; in con- 
 sequence, the animal struggles violently, showing 
 that the brain and organs of voluntary motion are 
 next exerted ; the heart beats with great agitation ; 
 giddiness and loss of recollection succeed, evinc- 
 ing the suspension of the action of the brain. 
 
 In consequence, the voluntary motions become 
 next distracted and irregular, evinced in the gnash- 
 ing of the teeth, protrusion of the tongue, and 
 
convulsive gaspings, accompanied with irregular 
 efforts to swallow : the thorax, abdomen and limbs 
 are more or less agitated, proving that the brain, 
 lungs and heart are all involved in the general 
 convulsion of the system, which precedes death. 
 
 The lungs, then, primarily, and afterwards the 
 brain and the heart, are the vital organs which are 
 principally disordered: the other irregularities and 
 morbid symptoms are only the result of the dis- 
 ease, which exists in them, as will be explained 
 hereafter. 
 
 The symptoms of recovery, are, water issuing 
 from the mouth and nostrils, accompanied with 
 froth; feeble, irregular and convulsive efforts 
 to breathe, attended with gasping, and occa- 
 sional motions and spasmodic agitations in the 
 limbs. The pulse beats at intervals, is small, quick 
 and weak ; the face becomes less livid, sometimes 
 distorted and violently convulsed ; a rumbling is 
 heard in the bowels; the breathing becomes more 
 free, the pulse more regular, and a gentle perspira- 
 tion softens the skin : vomiting sometimes takes 
 place, and gradually a return of sense and motion: 
 sometimes the person continues silent, dejected 
 and listless for several days, with pains in the head ; 
 in one case death supervened in one hour after 
 recovery, by a recurrence of epilepsy- 
 
Recovery from drowning is extremely irregular 
 in its circumstances ; it has been successful in the 
 aged and the young ; even children of two and 
 three years have been resuscitated after submer- 
 sion for one minute,* and in several for not more 
 than five death has supervened, notwithstanding 
 the greatest efforts to rescue them ; youth has pe- 
 rished, old age has been saved ;f some were re- 
 stored after immersion for half an hour ; one out 
 of 600 cases after 45 minutes,:): another after 
 more than an hour,§ and two after an hour and 
 an half. Old age, apoplexy, syncope, epilepsy, in- 
 temperance in eating and drinking, fasting, fatigue 
 or debilitating and chronic diseases, have preced- 
 ed and rendered submersion fatal :|| the probability 
 of recovery will be determined by the combina- 
 tion of circumstances which heighten or weaken 
 the susceptibility to previous disease in the sys- 
 
 * Reports of the Hum. Soc. of London, case 264, quoted "by- 
 Kite, p. 60. See Fowler's exp. and obs. relative to the influ 
 ence lately discovered, p. 70. Edin. 1793. 
 
 f Cases 19, 276, quoted by Kite. 
 
 * Cases 103, 165, 350, 420, 547, also Cogan's Mem. of the 
 Auist. Soc. quoted by Kite, p. 60. 
 
 § Amer. Med. Record, vol. iii. p. 339. 1820. Annual report- 
 •of Roy. Hum. Soc. 1803. Letters from Copenhagen, 1800. 
 !! Kite, p. 61, 62, Lond. 1795, 
 
i 
 
 10 
 
 tern : apoplexy is rendered probable by a short 
 neck, a full habit of body, and from the occurrence 
 of the submersion without violence or accident. 
 
 Frequent giddiness, nightmare, false vision, 
 tingling in the ears, loss of memory, horrible 
 dreams and unrefreshing sleep, will increase the 
 probability that this disease had preceded. Af- 
 fections of the lungs, long immersion in cold and 
 deep water, or exposure, after the body is found, to 
 rain and high winds, increase the danger. Re- 
 covery has followed submersion for fifteen mi- 
 nutes, though fainting had taken place immedi- 
 ately before ; and cases are stated, on the most re- 
 spectable, but now doubted, authority, in which 
 submersion had existed for days, and the patients 
 were restored.* In other species of asphyxia, 
 resuscitation has taken place after interment ; a 
 lady, in England, was brought to life by a thief 
 who attempted to steal a ring from her finger.-f 
 Sometimes dissection has produced resuscitation, 
 as in the case of the earl of Pembroke, who, on 
 being opened to be embalmed, as soon as the first 
 
 * See Sandifort, Thesaur, &c. 1768. Roterod. Art. Glim- 
 mer, p. 505. Eph. Curios. Dec. 1, A. vi. vii. Obs. 20, 75, 76, 
 89, 125, 130, 192. 
 
 f See Reports of the Roy. Hum. Soc. for 1787-8-9, p. 77, as 
 quoted by Cogan, obs. on apparent death, p, 106, Lond. 181S. 
 
11 
 
 incision was made raised his hand ; the heart of 
 a Spanish nobleman, opened by Vesalius in or- 
 der to discover his disease, was found beating.* 
 Recovery from apparent death in consequence of 
 fever and nervous diseases, is more frequent than 
 from cold and suffocation. Frequently, injury 
 done to the body in taking it out of the water, as - 
 also medical aid injudiciously applied, have de- 
 stroyed life ;f recoveries have taken place after 
 considerable violence done to the body, simply by- 
 warmth and rest.:}: Sailors frequently fall from 
 the tops of masts into the water, and the accident 
 is generally fatal ; recoveries, however, are stated 
 under the most unpromising circumstances. A 
 man fell from the foretopmast head of a ship, 
 struck upon the foretop, and then upon the gun- 
 wale, falling, before he reached the water, not less 
 than sixty feet : he was under water for eight mi- 
 nutes, and twenty more elapsed before any means 
 of resuscitation was employed : the scalp was la- 
 serated extensively, and he was otherwise bruis- 
 
 * See Reports of the Roy. Hum Soc. for 1787-8-9, p. 77, as 
 quoted by Cogan, obs. on apparent death, p. 106, Lond. 1815, 
 
 ■j- Cogan. Mem. of the Soc. Instit. at Amsterdam. 
 
 + Sand. Thes. Art. Gummer. 1768, &c. ; also Reaumur nou- 
 relle bigar, torn. x. quoted by Gummer. 
 
12 
 
 ed, yet he recovered perfectly.* The tempera- 
 ture of the water also influences the probability of 
 resuscitation;! it is stated, by Evers, that persons 
 recover sooner after submersion in cold, than in 
 warm water. M. Bucquet observes that irritable 
 persons are most easily suffocated, and that they 
 suffered less4 Experiments on the recovery of 
 animals have not been so successful as those on 
 the human body. Gummer found that young 
 foxes and dogs rarely recovered by the use of 
 heat and stimulants, after submersion for more 
 than three minutes ; and Kite seldom after eight, 
 ten, and twelve minutes. The celebrated Bichat 
 never succeeded in resuscitating animals, though 
 his experiments were numerous. § Habit has 
 great influence in preventing death from submer-* 
 sion ; persons accustomed to remain long under 
 water, have continued for thirty and forty-five mi- 
 nutes beneath the surface, without injury. |) Priest- 
 ly observed the same facts with regard to the 
 
 * See Trans, of the Roy. Hunt Soc. from 1774 to 1784, p. 
 45-8, as quoted by Currie, p. 109. 
 
 | Ibid, p. 513, and Oswald on the phenom. &.C. 
 
 $ See Hist, de la Soc. Roy. de Medicine. 
 
 § Kite's essay on the submersion of animals, p. 122, I,onr! 
 1795, and Sandifort Thesaur. Art. Gummer. 
 
 | Ibid, p. 507. 
 
13 
 
 breathing of mephitic air ;* an impure atmos- 
 phere produced death in animals, which had lived 
 in pure air, more speedily than in those to which 
 habit had rendered its noxious qualities familiar. 
 
 Recovery in animals is also extremely irregular 
 in its circumstances ; in my experience, they re- 
 suscitated spontaneously after one and a quarter, 
 two, two and a half, three, and even four minutes 
 immersion ;f exhibited symptoms of imperfect 
 recovery after four and five minutes,^: but always 
 died after six minutes ; no appearances of life re- 
 mained sometimes after a much shorter period, 
 even after one and a half and two and a half mi- 
 nutes.§ The appearances observed on the reco- 
 very of animals, are gasping, irregular and convul- 
 sive breathing, with spasmodic motions of the 
 abdomen ; froth coming out of the mouth, with 
 expression of great pain during and after reco- 
 very.|| 
 
 The usual evidences of death are cessation of 
 the pulse, and of respiration, which is known by 
 the application of the flarne of a taper to the nose ; 
 or the condensation of the vapor of the breath 
 upon the surface of a mirror held before the mouth 
 and nose ; or by placing a cup of water on the 
 
 * Kite, Lond. 1788. f Expt. 4, 5, 6, 21. 
 
 * Exp. 7, 9, 28. § Exp. 1, 12. |] Exp. 4, 6. 
 
14 
 
 lower part of the breast-bone, and observing the 
 agitation produced on its surface by the motions 
 of the chest. The presence of the usual signs of 
 death are not infallible: the body may be rigid, 
 cold, and livid; the face black, cadaverous, and 
 swollen ; the eyes glassy or clear,* flaccid, heavy, 
 dull, and fixed, or prominent and bloodshot; the 
 mouth covered with froth; the pupils dilated ; the 
 jaws and extremities rigid, and inflexible, and 
 the body pervaded with universal coldness, and 
 yet recovery may take place. f 
 
 Favourable anticipations have been taken from 
 the natural complexion of the face ; Portal records 
 a case of death from fixed air, in which, the eyes 
 and whole countenance had the appearance of 
 health ; the fluidity of the blood is also an uncer- 
 tain indication, because it is produced by other 
 causes, and as in drowned animals at least it is not 
 universal,^ its certainty as a test is rendered still 
 more questionable. The flexible state of the joints 
 
 * Reports of the Lond. Hum. Soc. vol. i. p. 87. 
 
 f See Kite, Lond. p 94. Ibid, p. 15, for the case of a child 
 which was smothered in a bed and restored to life notwith- 
 standing the face was black and swollen. See the same work 
 from 1774 to 1784, p. 87, for a case of recovery, in which the 
 pupils were dilated and the eyes had lost their lustre, as quot- 
 ed by Currie, p. 107. 
 
 * See Exp. 11, 1.5, 27, 31, 14, 27, 46. 
 
15 
 
 is insufficient ; the relaxation of the sphincter is 
 not absolute ; in the cat, it seldom if ever takes 
 place.* Even signs of putrefaction are not cer- 
 tain indications of death ; lobsters often have a 
 putrefactive smell, when alive; Huxham mentions, 
 that the texture of the body is sometimes loose in 
 scurvy, and emits a horrible stench sometime be- 
 fore death ; in the last stage of yellow fever the 
 perspiration has a cadaverous odour, for hours be- 
 fore life has ceased : Morton records a case of dis- 
 ease, in which the surgeon fainted from the smell 
 of the blood, in performing the operation of vene- 
 section. Abscesses are sometimes attended with 
 putrid discharges: Van Swieten mentions a case 
 of long retention of urine, which on evacuation, 
 was so noxious, as to produce a peripneumony in 
 the attending surgeorr. Persons have been fre- 
 quently resuscitated when life has been suspended 
 after typhus fever, a disease, in which symptoms 
 of putrefaction may take place, and notwithstand- 
 ing the patient recover. It may, however, be 
 only confined to the secretions, and should from 
 the facts above stated at least render our prognosis 
 from this sign with regard to the issue of the case 
 doubtful, and encourage proper endeavours to se- 
 cure recovery. If putrefaction should be the result 
 
 * Exp. 8, 10, 11, &c. 
 
16 
 
 of general causes, it is evident the issue must be 
 fatal. The irritability of the iris is considered by- 
 Oswald, as the best test of remaining life,* also 
 the sensibility of the internal membrane of the 
 trachea, and the want of contractility of the mus- 
 cles of the glottis, evinced by the presence of wa- 
 ter in the lungs; an effect which, in all probability, 
 never takes place till after complete death.f 
 
 Electricity has been proposed as a stimulus, to 
 discover the remains of life ;% and as according to 
 Kite the irritability has continued 23 hours and 
 40 minutes after death, in the right auricle of the 
 heart, its application may be useful.^ 
 
 The appearances observed on the examination 
 of bodies after death from submersion are various. 
 
 The external surface of the brain has been found 
 to be darker than usual ; the vessels are described 
 by Goodwyn,|| as being turgid without extravasa- 
 tion; by Oswald and Kite, extremely full of black 
 bloody and never moderately distended ; a cir- 
 cumstance, which might be inferred from the 
 
 * Oswald on the phen. of suspd. animal life, p. 63. Philad. 
 1802. 
 
 fSee Kite, p. 113. i See Kite, Lond. 1795. p. 113. 
 
 § Ibid. p. 114. Note. 
 
 || Goodwyn on the connection of life, &c. London, 1788. 
 
 H Oswald on the phen. of suspd. animal life, p. 23, Philada. 
 1802. 
 
17 
 
 swelling and livid colour of the face, and the stop- 
 page of blood in the right ventricle of the heart. 
 
 Kite, in other cases, found the vessels of the 
 brain in several instances free from turgidity, in 
 others rather empty. The time, which elapsed 
 before examination, might have produced this 
 difference ; a conclusion, which the following ob- 
 servation would seem to confirm : the right auricle 
 of the heart, and of course the superior cava, and 
 its venous terminations, in a man who had been 
 hanged, was found turgid by Harvey, on opening 
 him before his face had lost its redness; on the 
 next day, its turgidity had entirely disappeared.* 
 In two dogs, which were drowned for dissection, 
 De Haen found the brain distended with blood ; 
 in four others, this appearance was not seen.f In 
 my experiments, the veins and vessels of the brain 
 have been found sometimes pale and empty, at 
 others, turgid. :j: 
 
 The lungs contain generally a frothy liquid,^ 
 
 * Kite in the recovery of the apparently dead, p. 31, Lond, 
 1778 ; and Expts. 57, 58, 59, in which a contrary effect was ob- 
 served. 
 
 f Kite's Essay, 1788, quoting De Haen's Rat. Medend. con* 
 tinuat. 
 
 ♦ Expts. 2, 7, 8, 10, 11. 
 
 § Goodwyn on the connection, &c. London, 1788, 
 
 B 2 
 
18 
 
 and are much collapsed, enclosing some air,* and 
 after a long submersion are filled with water ; the 
 pulmonary veins and arteries are full of black 
 blood. According to Oswald, the lungs in pro- 
 portion to the size of the animal contain from one 
 to fifty cubic inches of air: Kite found them in a 
 complete state of expiration.f Coleman found in 
 one experiment, the lungs to contain half a drachm 
 of air; when distended, 16 drachms ; sometimes 
 scarcely a particle was collected; in this caseGood- 
 wyn supposes the lungs were emptied by the pres- 
 sure of the atmosphere, and Coleman, that expira- 
 tion is continued, till all the air is expelled. 
 
 Kite and Goodwyn founds no water in the 
 lungs, when drowned in a coloured liquid, result- 
 ing, no doubt, from the irritability of the glottis. 
 It is sufficient to state that there is generally little 
 fluid of any kind found in the lungs till the glot- 
 tis is relaxed by death, when they become full of 
 water. § When the animal breathes after emer- 
 sion, the lungs are redder and contain some air; 
 
 * Coleman dissert, on su9pd. respiration, &c. p. 82, Lond. 
 1791, and also p. 99. 
 
 | Kite, Lond. 1788, also Gummer. See Sandifo*t, thesaur. de 
 mort. Submersor. 
 
 $ Kite's Essay, 1788, London. 
 
 § Kite's Essay, 17^8, Lond. quoting De Haen, rat. med. con- 
 tinuat. See Haller quoted by Gummer in Sandiforl. thesaur. 
 
19 
 
 the thorax is more distended, and the veins near 
 the heart are sometimes less full of blood: the 
 trachea sometimes contains froth or water.* 
 
 Coleman found the two vence cava, the right 
 sinus venosus, auricle, and ventricle, and pulmo- 
 nary artery loaded with blood ;f the right auricle, 
 ventricle, the left sinus venosus, and left ventricle 
 are filled, and the left ventricle only half filled 
 with black blood, according to Goodwyn ; Oswald 
 found the left sinus venosus and auricle only 
 half full, whilst the trunks and smaller branches 
 of the arteries, proceeding from the left ventricle, 
 contained a quantity of black blood. Coleman 
 found the quantity of blood in the right ventricle, 
 compared to that in the left, in the proportion of 
 twelve to seven, when examined immediately af- 
 ter death by tying up the two cava?, aorta, and pul- 
 monary artery ; whilst the proportion of the right 
 to the left was two to one,' after the action of the 
 heart had ceased. These proportions, however, 
 sometimes varied ; in some cases they were as se- 
 ven to four, five to two, and twelve to seven; the 
 medium ratio was one and six-eighths. 
 
 According to my observation, the heart and the 
 
 * Expt. 2, 7, 10, 11, 16. 
 
 -j- Coleman a Dissert. &c. p. 82, Lond. 1791. Kite's Essays, 
 p. 210, et seq. also London, 1795. 
 
20 
 
 blood-vessels, generally, with some slight varia- 
 tions, presented the following appearances : the 
 veins of the neck, venae cavse, and axillary veins, 
 the right auricle and ventricle, full of black 
 blood;* the pulmonary artery containing some; 
 the pulmonary veins distended, the left auricle 
 and ventricle nearly empty, but in some cases mo- 
 derately full, and the aorta containing very little 
 blood. 
 
 When the resuscitation is partial the two sides 
 of the heart are more equally distended, and the 
 venae cavse less filled with blood from the effect 
 of the circulation being longer continued. f 
 
 The stomach was found, by Coleman, to con- 
 tain, generally, a little water ^ Haller says, often 
 none ; the intestines never contain any water. § 
 De Haen, in thirteen experiments, found no wa- 
 ter in the stomach, with which those of Kite en- 
 tirely agree. || 
 
 In some few instances I have found some wa- 
 ter in this organ.f] The peristaltic motion, ac- 
 cording to my observations, generally, and to those 
 
 * Expts. 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 14, 16, 41, 57, 58, 59, 36. 
 | Exp. 7. i Coleman a Dissert, p. 82, London, 1791. 
 
 § See Sandifort's Thesaur. art. Gummer. Rxderer, quoted 
 by the same author. 
 
 H Kite's Essay, London, 1788. % Expts. 34, 36. 
 
21 
 
 of Coleman, never continues as long as the con- 
 tractions of the heart. 
 
 The bladder is frequently much distended in 
 death from asphyxia.* Davy also makes the 
 same remark. f I have seen it in one instance. 
 
 The body generally becomes stiff in an hour 
 after submersion, and in the cat, according to my 
 observation, it never remains permanently flexi- 
 ble.} 
 
 On opening drowned animals immediately after 
 death from submersion, the heart is found pulsat- 
 ing; and, according to Berger, it continues for 
 two, three, or more hours after exposure to the 
 atmosphere, and when it was not exposed it soon 
 ceased to pulsate, reviving on the readmission of 
 the air.§ 
 
 In nitrous air it ceased to beat in an hour ; in 
 hydrogen in forty-five minutes ; in carbonic acid 
 in thirty-five minutes. A cat drowned at the 
 same time, and laid in the water for the same pe- 
 riod, exhibited contractions of the heart on open- 
 ing the thorax, and exposure to the air continued 
 its pulsations for seven hours, its colour becoming 
 
 * Portal quoted by Bichat on life and death, Phil. Ed. 1809, 
 p. 231. 
 
 f See Davy on nit. oxide. * Exp. 2, 3, 10, 11. 
 
 § See Jackson's Essay on Suspend. Animat. p. 82, Phil. 1808. 
 
22 
 
 scarlet and the auricles beating more frequently 
 and much more strongly. 
 
 The irritability of the different sides of the 
 heart is various; according to Oswald it remain- 
 ed an equal length of time in both:* in some in- 
 stances the heart was found wholly destitute of 
 irritability and insensible to the stimulus of galva- 
 nism: submersion in carbonic acid gas, in some 
 cases, exhausted that quality, and, according to 
 Coleman, it continued for twenty-four hours after 
 respiration had ceased. 
 
 In no instance have I observed it to contract as 
 long as twelve hours after death. Its motions are 
 certainly increased by exposure to the air, on di- 
 viding the pericardium,! which renders it also 
 more sensible to the stimulus of electricity. I 
 have observed it to contract after clots had form- 
 ed in its cavities ;'| the puncture of the cava and 
 the pulmonary artery renews its contractions af- 
 ter they have ceased, § and generally increases 
 them. 
 
 The muscles lose their irritability sooner than 
 the intestines and the heart. 
 
 The blood is rendered black by submersion, 
 
 • See Oswald on the phen. of Suspend Life, Phil. 180 '. 
 f Exps. 9, 46, 51, 52. $ Exp. 33, 40. 
 
 § Exp. 13, 16, 17, 22, 
 
and those animals which are drowned in water of 
 a high temperature, have it equally dark colour- 
 ed in the arteries and veins ;* according to the 
 observations of Coleman, the blood of animals, 
 drowned in water at 98°, is of a higher colour than 
 that of the veins ; and, contrary to the observation 
 of Hunter,f I have found it sometimes coagulat- 
 ed4 The surface of the heart and lungs appear 
 to have the power of coagulating the blood effus- 
 ed upon them.§ 
 
 The blood-vessels, according to the observation 
 of Phillips, communicate to the blood an irregular 
 motion, even after the parts have become cold, 
 and for seventy-five minutes after the heart was 
 removed in one instance; he supposes|j that it will 
 continue for several hours after death; a fact 
 which demonstrates the necessity of continuing 
 our efforts to resuscitate the drowned persons 
 longer than is generally practised. 
 
 It was thought proper to examine the state of 
 the temperature in animals after submersion, to 
 determine exactly the progress of its decline and 
 its share in the production of death, particularly 
 as this quality has been observed to exhibit some 
 
 * Oswald on the phen. Sic. Phil. 1802. 
 
 f Hunter on the Blood, p. 22, Phil. Edit. 
 
 * Expt. 11, 15, 27, 31, 33, 46. ^ Expt. 63. 
 ] Phillips' expl. enquiry, p. 209-10. 
 
24 
 
 strange anomalies; thus an hybernating animal, 
 kept in air of a very low temperature, and having 
 that of its body reduced to nearly the same de- 
 gree, after some time, had its temperature raised 
 to the natural standard, as was supposed by Hun- 
 ter, merely by the effort of the system, to heal a 
 wound in the abdomen made for the purpose of 
 introducing a thermometer. It was suspected 
 some sustaining power like this might exist after 
 death from submersion, and the following obser- 
 vations were made: 
 
 After submersion in water of 85° of Fahrenheit 
 for five minutes, the air being of the same tempe- 
 rature, the surface cooled down to 92°: removed 
 to the air, in ten minutes it fell to 90°, in fifteen 
 minutes it fell to 89°, in thirty minutes to 88°, in 
 fifty-two minutes the interior of the abdomen had 
 fallen to 84°, when that of the room was 78°; — 
 results produced principally by the suppression 
 of the circulation, as the application of the tour- 
 niquet to an extremity of a living person produces 
 the same depression of temperature. 
 
 In another instance the temperature of the ex- 
 terior surface of the abdomen was 89° in air of 
 85° after two hours had elapsed, and in rather 
 more than two hours and a quarter, the heat of 
 the animal, below the abdominal muscles, was 
 
25 
 
 92°.* In another instance, in twenty minutes af- 
 ter emersion, the surface of the abdomen was 88% 
 the air being 81°.f In a temperature of 732% 
 when the head of the animal only was submersed 
 and the body kept perfectly dry, the temperature 
 of the exterior of the abdomen, in fifteen minutes, 
 was 92°. In forty-five minutes^: it remained at 
 92° ; in one hundred and forty minutes it fell to 
 83°. In another experiment, in the same circum- 
 stances and temperature, the heat of the exterior 
 of the abdomen fell to 90° in fifteen minutes ; to 
 86° in forty-five minutes ; and to 76° in one hun- 
 dred and forty-five minutes ;§ whilst in another 
 animal, immersed in water of 60° cooling down to 
 42° by the addition of ice, in forty- five minutes, 
 the temperature fell to 75° of Fahrenheit. || 
 
 The strength and vigour of the animal, I have 
 observed, certainly retards the reduction of the 
 temperature, and water being a better conductor 
 than air, favours the dissipation of the heat in pro- 
 portion to their high or low degrees, as the above 
 experiments show. 
 
 With regard to the effect of air of a higher tem- 
 perature in submersed animals, it would appear 
 that in one instance, when applied in the degree 
 
 * See Expts. I, 2. t See Expt. 4. 
 
 ? Expt. 10. § Exp. 11. (1 Expt. 15. 
 
 C 
 
26 
 
 of 160°, in twenty minutes it rose to 106° ;* in 
 another in the degree of 150°, in thirty-five mi- 
 nutes after immersion the body was 10.4° ; in air of 
 120°, in thirty-three minutes it rose to 106° ;f and 
 of 111°, in not quite one-third of this time, the 
 heat of the animal was 102°. So that, like the re- 
 duction of temperature, the power of the resist- 
 ance to the reception of heat depends much upon 
 the peculiar constitution of the animal. Other 
 observations have been made; these are sufficient 
 to illustrate this position, that animals in asphyxia 
 have the power of resisting the communication of 
 high degrees of heat, and prove that the powers of 
 life, in this respect, continue for some time after 
 their suspension. 
 
 * See Expt. 56. f See Expt. 24. 
 
ON THE MODE 
 
 THE CAUSES OF ASPHYXIA OPERATE. 
 
 Platerus in 1564, Borelli in 1680, Walsch- 
 miot, Littrius, and Becker in 1 704, attributed as- 
 phyxia to defect of air: Dethardingius in 1714 be- 
 lieved that death proceeded from the expansion 
 of the lungs ; Senac, Leprottus, Winslow, Kaau, 
 Boerhaave, supposed it to be owing to defect of 
 air and to apoplexy: Louis to the stoppage of the 
 circulation by pressure on the surface ; Raederer 
 to infarction of the lungs; Evers to the suppres- 
 sion of the motion of the heart, produced by the 
 superior weight and coldness of the water; and 
 Villiers to cold, suffocation, and apoplexy. Hal- 
 ler and Engleman believed that death was owing 
 to the loss of the elasticity of the air and the curv- 
 ed state of the vessels, and the consequent stop- 
 
28 
 
 page of the circulation by the exhaustion and col- 
 lapse of the lungs.* 
 
 The opinions, with regard to the causes of 
 death from submersion, may be referred to cold, 
 to loss of circulation, to apoplexy, and to defect of 
 air: the reasons which support these opinions are 
 as follows : 
 
 1. Cold. — This cause does not produce death 
 from submersion, for animals die sooner when 
 drowned in warm, than in cold water ;f besides 
 exposure for a long time to water of a low tem- 
 perature does not produce death, provided respi- 
 ration be continued, and frequently after submer- 
 sion death is complete, though the temperature, 
 does not, for a considerable time, decline to a de- 
 gree inconsistent with life 4 yet in these cases 
 spontaneous recovery did not take place, which 
 should have happened had want of heat been the 
 cause of death: cold, no doubt, assists, because it 
 debilitates the body when long applied, in a high 
 or low degree. 
 
 2. Loss of circulation. — The pulse ceases, ac- 
 cording to Oswald, between two and three mi- 
 nutes after submersion, and it continues, with the 
 
 * Sandifort Thesaurus Dissert. Jac. Gummer. de causa mort. 
 submers. 1768, Roterodam. 
 
 f See Art. Gummer. in Sandifort Thesaur. 1768, Roterod. 
 
 • Expt. 10, 11. 
 
 
29 
 
 other functions, an indefinite length of time when 
 the breathing is continued ; though the body be im- 
 mersed in water, it is evident the stoppage of the 
 circulation is not the cause of drowning, but an 
 effect. 
 
 3. Apoplexy. — From the fulness and slowness 
 of the pulse observed in about one minute after 
 submersion ; from the lividness of the gums and 
 face; also from the hemorrhagies from the nose 
 and ears of divers, the sense of fulness of the head 
 when the same air is breathed for a long time, or 
 the breath is entirely suspended, it is evident that 
 appearances resembling apoplexy must take place 
 in submersion, and dissection gives some support 
 to this position, for the vessels of the brain are 
 sometimes found turgid ; but as there is no extra- 
 vasation, and as frequently there is no turgidity 
 in the vessels, on the contrary they are perfectly 
 empty, and as death generally takes place in four 
 minutes, and sometimes in two or three, and even 
 in one minute after submersion, it is evident that 
 apoplexy cannot be the cause, for this disease, in 
 its natural form, sometimes continues for days, and 
 generally for hours, with a full and bounding pulse, 
 great distention of the vessels of the head, and even 
 extravasation without producing death: besides 
 the turgidity of the vessels sometimes seen after 
 death from submersion is not owing entirely to in- 
 c 2 
 
3<D 
 
 creased action of the arteries as in apoplexy, but 
 more to a remora of the circulation in the veins, 
 caused by the fulness of the right auricle and the 
 compressed state of the thorax and lungs, produc- 
 ed by the weight of the atmosphere, and the wa- 
 ter, and the contraction of the arterial system af- 
 ter death, and in proof of this circumstance, the 
 veins of the axilla are found equally distended 
 with those of the brain, from the influence of these 
 causes.* The experiments of Coleman, however, 
 put it beyond all doubt. The vessels of the brain 
 were exposed immediately after death from sub- 
 mersion for four minutes, and they were found less 
 distended than usual. The carotids of a dog were 
 secured in order to prevent apoplexy ; in half an 
 hour he was submersed; life ceased in four mi- 
 nutes, and the vessels of the brain were found 
 less distended than in ordinary death; of course 
 apoplexy cannot be the cause.f 
 
 4. Defect of Air, or Suffocation. — As we know 
 that respiration is essential to life, and that sub- 
 mersion may be safely continued for a longtime, 
 if respiration be not suspended, and as death is 
 the immediate consequence of the suppression of 
 this function, the conclusion is certain, that suffo- 
 cation is the cause : 
 
 * Expt. 32. t Coleman % Dissert. &c. Lond. 1791. 
 
 
SI 
 
 Accordingly we now proceed to detail the cir- 
 cumstances, on which perfect respiration depends, 
 in order to expose the subject in all its lights, and 
 then deduce the most approved mode of cure. 
 
 Of the function of respiration as the place of origin 
 of Suspended Animation. 
 
 The phenomena of respiration are, mechani- 
 cal, chemical and vital. After the air is inspir- 
 ed, the lungs, consisting of a vesicular structure, 
 absorb the oxygen and leave the azote, mixed 
 with some carbonic acid, formed during the pro- 
 cess. 
 
 Mechanical Phenomena. As a general posi- 
 tion, the duration of the scarlet colour formed 
 during respiration depends upon the quantity of 
 air, contained in the lungs, diminishing in inten- 
 sity as the oxygen disappears; the agitation pro- 
 duced by these organs also prolongs it;* yet, if 
 the lungs be violently distended and the air al- 
 ready in them does not escape, oxygenation is re- 
 tarded; even if the residuum in the lungs be ex- 
 hausted, and fresh air be injected, the scarlet co- 
 
 * Bichat physio, research. Phil. 1809, p. 213, 
 
32 
 
 lour is not so soon produced, as by natural respi- 
 ration.* It is then important to ascertain exactly 
 the number of natural respirations, in order to 
 produce the greatest possible effect in resuscita- 
 tion; particularly, as inflation produces the tem- 
 perature, and retards its decline, as well as 
 oxygenates the blood. f According to Kite, the 
 lungs receive three hundred cubic inches of air, 
 and the chest in every minute makes about ten 
 respirations; to Davy twenty-seven or twenty- 
 eight. 
 
 When the body is bent in a sitting posture, near 
 a table, and the thorax expanded itself with some 
 difficulty, thirteen respirations were made in a mi- 
 nute, according to my observations; when the 
 back leaned against a chair, and the thorax was 
 free, nine respirations were performed. Respira- 
 tion is affected by the state of the mind, even by 
 attention to the experiment. 
 
 In the morning after breakfast two respirations 
 in a minute were found sufficient for the space of 
 one minute ; during the second three were neces- 
 sary. When the experiment was repeated in the 
 evening two respirations in the minute were suf- 
 ficient for the support of life, and could be con- 
 
 * Bichat physio, research. Phil. 1809, p. 217. 
 t Philip's enq. p. 215, Phil. Edit. 1818. 
 
33 
 
 tinued for three minutes; afterwards three were 
 necessary, and even these produced, after some 
 time, some slight fulness of the head. On repeat- 
 ing it I found that I could subsist with comfort 
 on three respirations in a minute ; the experiment 
 lasted for twelve minutes, and there was no appa- 
 rent diminution in the power of continuing them. 
 A middle number of respirations between three 
 and thirteen in a minute, inci'easing according to 
 circumstances, is, then, about the natural standard. 
 
 The degree of pressure occasioned by inflation 
 also causes a difference betAveen natural and arti- 
 ficial respiration.* When air is forced into the 
 lungs with great violence, emphysema is the re- 
 sult in the breast and neck ; and when the force 
 is only moderate, the air passes, in a separate 
 state, into the arteries,f an effect which has taken 
 place, even in colic, from the pressure produced 
 by the spasms ; also sometimes in greatly hurried 
 respiration.:]: 
 
 In my experiments, the air forced into the lungs 
 with some violence by the bellows, rose on the sur- 
 face of the exposed lungs, like bubbles oozing 
 
 * Philip's enquiry, Phil. Ed. 
 f Bichat phys. researches, p. 249, 247. 
 % See Morgagni and Pechlin, quoted by Bichat phy. re- 
 searches, p. 249. 
 
34 
 
 from mud, and passed to the surface of the peri- 
 cardium and into the cavity of the abdomen near 
 and behind the kidneys.* On the contrary, the 
 effect of artificial respiration, when too little or 
 rarefied air is injected into the lungs, equally re- 
 tards oxygenation. 
 
 After the air is admitted into the lungs, its oxy- 
 genous portion unites with the blood, produces the 
 scarlet colour, and forms carbonic acid, which is 
 discharged by the mechanical actions of this vis- 
 cus. 
 
 The oxygen of the atmosphere appears to be 
 equally necessary to the vegetable and the animal 
 world : Davy found that plants looked better, but 
 for a shorter time in oxygen than in atmospheric 
 air :j bees, snails, (helix pomatia),+ slugs, (Umax 
 flavus),§ destroyed the oxygen completely: SpaJ- 
 lanzani found that the helix vivipara, an aquatic 
 animal, ceased to change the air at the temperature 
 of freezing : near the bottom, they consumed only 
 half the air, which they did when allowed to 
 breathe at the surface; and when they breathed 
 
 * See Expt. 41, 42. 
 
 f Davy on nit. oxide. Hub. Mem sur la Germin. &c. and 
 Sennebicr. See Ellis, an enq. into the changes, &.C. Edin, 
 1807. 
 
 i Vauquelin, quoted by the same. 
 § Spallan. quoted by the same, p. 73, 74,75 
 
35 
 
 the air alone, the oxygen was destroyed without 
 the azote being the least diminished;* some am- 
 phibious animals, as the sea tortoise, will live in 
 the hold of a vessel or in the bottom of a hogs- 
 head for many months, though the air be impure. 
 Birds die before half the oxygen is consumed : a 
 mouse and a guinea pig expired when about three 
 fourths of the gas had disappeared, though the 
 carbonic acid was withdrawn.! Spallanzani ob- 
 served that birds and quadrupeds do not consume 
 more than j\% parts of the oxygen, and sometimes 
 only 17 or 16 T ^%- parts, and then die, though the 
 fixed air be removed, proving clearly that air fre- 
 quently renewed is absolutely necessary for the 
 existence of these animals. It would then appear 
 that as we ascend the series of animation, the 
 higher orders require air better ventilated than the 
 lower. 
 
 Atmospheric air appears to be necessary to all 
 species and orders of living beings, for it has been 
 satisfactorily proved that oxygen, when pure, will 
 produce convulsions, debility, and death, though 
 the carbonic acid be removed by lime water.:): It 
 causes a sensation of warmth in the lungs, great 
 excitement, an increase of strength, fulness and 
 
 * Ellis, p. 76. f Ibid. 
 
 4 Higgins' Phil. Expts. Lond.1795, p. 146 et seq, 
 
36 
 
 frequency of the pulse, rising, in one instance, to 
 ninety, in another to one hundred and twenty 
 beats in a minute, when sixty-four was the natu- 
 ral number in the same period. In the experi- 
 ments of Davy, oxygen produced oppressed res- 
 piration, though little of the oxygen had been con- 
 sumed.* He also found that man and the mouse 
 consume less oxygen, and produce less carbonic 
 acid, when they breathe in pure oxygen, than in 
 common air.f There can be no doubt, then, that 
 the dilution of the atmosphere by azote renders 
 it more favourable to the support of animal life, 
 and that pure oxygen is improper for resuscita- 
 tion. 
 
 Habit, however, has a great effect on the power 
 of animals to breathe air already tainted by res- 
 piration ; Priestley found that those animals which 
 breathe pure air will die sooner in impure air 
 than those which have been accustomed to it4 
 
 Natural peculiarity of constitution has also an 
 influence; certain fishes die immediately on being 
 exposed to the atmosphere; others live many 
 hours: all the organs of the body have various de- 
 grees of strength in different individuals; one per- 
 son recovers from drowning, though he has been 
 
 * Davy on nit. oxide. f Ibid, p. 442-4. 
 
 * Kite, Lond. 1788. 
 
37 
 
 submersed for half an hour, simply by the effect 
 of rest and the sun ; another dies irrecoverably 
 after immersion but for one minute. Such is the 
 effect of constitution. 
 
 Other circumstances also have an agency; and, 
 in general, any cause which debilitates or strength- 
 ens the system, or changes the qualities of the 
 atmosphere, produces difficulty or freedom of 
 breathing.- 
 
 In this country, during the prevalence of cold 
 and dry winds from the north and west, the tone 
 of the system is increased and the lungs play with 
 ease; on the contrary, when the system is bathed 
 in vapour by the eastern winds, which blow over 
 the ocean, and particularly in warm seasons, the 
 system is weakened and the breathing is oppress- 
 ed. The same effect is produced by respiring 
 frequently from a vessel of small capacity,* by the 
 impurity of the atmosphere of crowded rooms, 
 and of museums; by the debility of the system pro- 
 duced by fear, horror, fatigue, digestion, fever, 
 dropsy, gout, consumption, or other chronic dis- 
 eases. 
 
 It would appear, then, that the lungs should 
 perform their functions properly, the air must 
 consist of the proper proportions of oxygen and 
 
 * Prof. Pfaff quoted by Ellis in an enquiry, 0. Edin. 1807, 
 D 
 
azote, have a due and not excessive degree of 
 moisture, and be freed from noxious vapours by 
 ventilation. 
 
 After the air is admitted into the lungs it unites 
 with the blood ; Priestley and Cigna found that ve- 
 nous blood becomes florid at its surface, when ex- 
 posed to the atmosphere, thuugh covered and de- 
 fended by a thick stratum of serum.* The expe- 
 riments of Hooke prove that it combined with 
 the blood after the natural and mechanical mo- 
 tions of the thorax were suspended by opening it; 
 and of Brodie, that oxygen was absorbed and cai*- 
 bonic acid formed in the same condition of the 
 lungs.f 
 
 It would, then, appear from the most demon- 
 strative and conclusive evidence, that after appa- 
 rent death respiration may be continued, and also 
 that its peculiar changes on the blood may be pro- 
 duced. 
 
 After explaining the causes which affect the 
 strength and perfection of the organs of respira- 
 tion, we proceed to explain the mode of operation 
 of those causes which entirely suppress it, and 
 produce asphyxia. 
 
 It was stated, in the commencement of this me- 
 
 * Davy on Nit. Oxide, p. 445. 
 f See (Jroonian Lecture, 1810. 
 
moir, that the various species of asphyxia were es- 
 sentially the same ; we shall now attempt to prove 
 this position by showing the effects of the noxious 
 gases, suspension, &c, and thus prepare for the 
 discussion of modes of cure, which shall compre- 
 hend them all. 
 
 Oxygen, when pure, is unfavourable to animal 
 life, and produces convulsions and death, as irf 
 submersion, though not so speedily;* nitrous ox- 
 ide, according to Davy,f destroys warm-blooded 
 animals much sooner than oxygen, but not so soon 
 as the non-respirable gases; the larger and the 
 old live longer in it than small and young ani- 
 mals: vegetables also die in it;i. a butterfly died 
 in half a minute, and a fly in the same time:§ 
 fishes and lizards, (as happens in water freed from 
 its air,) do not die so speedily in this gas. Ani- 
 mals die in nitrous gas in the space of from one 
 to five minutes, which corresponds, pretty exactly, 
 with the effects of submersion, |J and the appear- 
 ances after death resembled those from the latter 
 cause,^| with these differences, that the blood in 
 the left side of the heart and the aorta was more 
 purple, and the irritability disappeared sooner, 
 
 * See p. 5J. f Davy on Nitrous Oxide, p. 366, 
 
 * Ibid/ p„ 563, § Ibid, p. 371, 
 
 !! Ibid, p, 339—40. 1 1bid, p. 346, 
 
4U 
 
 than when the animal is killed by a blow.* This 
 sudden loss of irritability often appears after 
 drowning, and the purple spots in the lungs, men- 
 tioned by Davy, sometimes are seen, particularly 
 if the animal has breathed .during submersion. 
 Equal parts of nitrous oxide and hydrogen killed 
 in the same manner, and with the same appear- 
 ances after death. f Three parts of hydrogen and 
 one of nitrous oxide destroyed a mouse in a mi- 
 nute. Pure hydrogen could not be respired more 
 than three quaiters of a minute; giddiness, mus- 
 cular debility, a feeble pulse and a sense of suffo- 
 cation were the result.;}: The same symptoms 
 occur in submersion in about the same period. 
 Azote, in union with a small proportion of car- 
 bonic acid, produce the same effects: nitrous gas, 
 sulphurated hydrogen, and hydro-carbonated gases 
 also destroy in the same period, with this excep- 
 tion, that it has been believed that the two former 
 are absorbed, and the latter produces in the blood 
 a red colour; in other respects, the essential symp- 
 toms, the state of the lungs, heart', and brain arc 
 entirely the same as in submersion. 
 
 Carbonic acid, according to Davy, is irrespira- 
 
 * Davy on Nitrous Oxide., p. 34S, See a Diss, on Nit. Oxide. 
 by W. P. C. Barton, 1808, p. 70. 
 
 f Davy on Nitrous Oxide, p. 358. tbidj p. 406. 
 
41 
 
 ble from the closure of the glottis ; another cir- 
 cumstance, in which it resembles water in its ef- 
 fects; the limbs in death from the former do not 
 generally grow stiff: this sometimes happens in 
 death from submersion. 
 
 It is stated, by Currie, that Dr. Black observed 
 that birds immersed in carbonic acid gas were not 
 so speedily killed when their nostrils were stop- 
 ped with suet as when they were left open, prov- 
 ing that this gas operates upon the nervous sys- 
 tem in producing death :* these results are con- 
 firmed by Ur. Rousseau, an ingenious physician 
 of this city, who states, that when the nostrils 
 are closed the inhalation of carbonic acid is not 
 deleterious. It is most probable that it acts both 
 by excluding oxygen from the irritation of the 
 glottis, which fixed air always produces, and also 
 that it has a narcotic effect on the olfactory nerves. 
 In Russia it is believed, by Dr. Guthrie, when a 
 thaw succeeds a frost of long duration, that the 
 thin plate of ice which forms upon the windows, 
 on thawing, gives out a principle which is suppos- 
 ed to be the carbonic ncid discharged by respira- 
 tion, and which produces all the deleterious ef- 
 
 * See Black's lectures on chemistry, edited by Professor Ro- 
 bison, vol. ii. p. S7, quoted by Currie, p. 129, 
 O 2 
 
42 
 
 fects of this gas.* This subject, according to thi* 
 gentleman, has been rigorously examined, and no 
 other source can be discovered for this noxious 
 vapour, as the stoves are found to be perfectly 
 tight. 
 
 From these facts it appears that the non-respi- 
 rabl« gases, as far as they have been, examined, 
 produced essentially the same phenomena, when 
 applied to the lungs, as water in submersion, and 
 also in the same period. Convulsions frequently 
 occur during immersion in these airs, as also in 
 water, and the same irregular affections, pains in 
 the head, drowsiness and giddine&s for some time 
 after recovery. 
 
 Suspension by the cord kills also by the exclu- 
 sion of respirable air from the lungs. Munro 
 hung a dog, in whose trachea an opening was 
 made below the place of pressure, and the animal 
 lived: in three quarters of an hour the rope was 
 placed below the opening in the trachea so as to 
 prevent respiration, and the animal soon died. 
 The jugulars and the carotids have been tied and 
 life has been prolonged for weeks, proving that 
 death from strangulation is not produced by pres- 
 
 * See Phil. Transact. Lond. Vol. lxis. p. 325, for 177% fe 
 quoted by Currie, p. 130. 
 
43 
 
 Sure on the blood-vessels:* nor is compression of 
 the nerves of the neck the cause; otherwise in the 
 esneriment of Munro above related, the animal 
 would have died immediately and before the pres- 
 sure was made below the hole in the trachea: The 
 nerves, which are liable to be affected by suspen- 
 sion, are the great sympathetic and the par va- 
 gum ; a ligature on these nerves does not de- 
 stroy life for some time ;f whereas, in suspension, 
 death is the result in a few minutes. Pressure 
 on the spinal marrow cannot take place without a 
 fracture of the vertebrae, which does not always 
 occur; in animals, the subject of these experi- 
 ments, never; yet death, in about the same period 
 as in submersion, uniformly is the result. The 
 symptoms felt on suspension, and described by 
 those who have recovered, are similar to those ex- 
 perienced after submersion,^: and the same appear- 
 ances observed after death, in both varieties of 
 this disease. § 
 
 * See Kite on, &c. 1788, Lond. p. 198. 
 
 fSee Bichat phy. res. p. 259, Phil. Edit. 
 
 4 See the Repts. of the Hum, Soc. for 1785-6, p, 138, 
 
 ■§ See Coleman, 
 
From what has been already stated, the opera- 
 tion of the causes of death in this disease, which 
 arise from the mechanical and chemical functions 
 of the lungs, can now be understood. The divi- 
 sion of the eighth pair and of the upper parts of 
 the spinal marrow, supplying the glottis, the mus- 
 cles of inspiration, and the diaphragm, destroys 
 the vital powers of respiration: By wounds in the 
 chest; by a strong compression of the abdomen and 
 thorax, and by a great accumulation of fluid in the 
 cavity of the chest ; the mechanical functions of the 
 lungs are suspended. The operation of rarefied 
 air, of submersion, of noxious gases, and a closure 
 of the trachea by natural or artificial means, pre- 
 vent the chemical changes of the lungs and thus 
 produce the disease. 
 
 Those which arise from causes affecting the vi- 
 tal phenomena of the body remain. Of these, the 
 first is cold. In order to explain the operation of 
 this agent, it will be necessary to examine the ge- 
 neral relations of animal temperature, without en- 
 tering into a discussion, with regard to its origin, 
 which would exceed the limits of this essay. 
 
 The heat of the animal is intimately connected 
 with life, and is a necessary agent in supporting it. 
 From some experiments performed and carefully 
 repeated, I have found the temperature of animals 
 
45 
 
 to decline in proportion to the distance from the 
 heart: its power of preservation also is less consi- 
 derable in the more distant than in the central 
 parts of the body : the feet first lose their heat in 
 dying, and on exposure to intense cold: the power 
 of generating this fluid also depends much upon 
 the strength of the system : those who are conva- 
 lescent are more susceptible of changes of tempe- 
 rature, and are more liable to cold feet and chills 
 over the whole body ; the phlegmatic and the drop- 
 sical are more sensible to cold in winter than the 
 sanguine, and this in the parts most distant from 
 the heart. Palsy also takes away the power of 
 preserving the temperature,^ and it is certain 
 that the debilitating passions' of the mind lessen 
 this power, proving that the state of the brain and 
 the system generally contribute to this effect: the 
 nerves and the blood-vessels also are intimately 
 concerned in this function: a ligature on either of 
 these structures lowers the temperature and affects 
 the powers of preservation in the parts on Avhich 
 they are distributed. It is, therefore, a quality, 
 which depends upon the integrity of every part of 
 the body, and is more or less affected by every 
 thing, which impairs or strengthens it: Thus a 
 wound increases the heat of the whole system, if 
 
 * See Earle's Expts. 
 
46 
 
 considerable enough to excite re-action ; if" in a 
 vital organ, it lessens the temperature, if re-action 
 does not follow. The effect of wine strengthens 
 the system for a time, increases its temperature, 
 and debility is the consequence, and a greater sen- 
 sibility to cold. 
 
 The most general law, which this quality pre- 
 sents, is that its power of preservation, and of 
 course its actual degree, diminish in proportion 
 to the distance from the heart, and that they both 
 increase with the general strength of the system 
 when in health, never rising, however, beyond a 
 certain temperature, which varies according to the 
 class of the animal. 
 
 The symptoms of apparent death from cold are, 
 coldness, numbness of the extremities, loss of the 
 power of motion, and irresistible propensity to 
 sleep, ending in complete asphyxia, and if it should 
 continue, in death: the common appearances of 
 Avhich are, insensibility, inflexibility of the limbs, 
 with the jaws fixed, the teeth clenched, and froth 
 issuing from the mouth.* 
 
 The symptoms of recovery observed in the mar- 
 mot are deep sighs, with broken and inarticulate 
 sounds; the limbs become less rigid, the animal 
 stretches out his legs and fetches another still 
 
 * Pee Struvrs' Pract. Essay, p. 52, Alban. 1803. 
 
4-7 
 
 deeper sigh, opens his eyes, and at length reco- 
 vers. 
 
 It is singular, though the temperature be equal 
 to that of freezing, the marmot never becomes 
 torpid, provided he be kept in the open air instead 
 of a close place.* 
 
 This state may be hastened by this circum- 
 stance, as the carbonic acid produced during 
 breathing would undoubtedly cause asphyxia with- 
 out the assistance of cold. 
 
 With regard to the actual power of bearing cold 
 possessed by the living system, it appears, from 
 the experiments of Hunter, that the temperature- 
 of the mouth may be reduced 20° by the applica- 
 tion of cold, and the animal sustains no serious 
 injury, and that of the urethra 40°. Dead matter 
 loses and is increased in temperature more ra- 
 pidly than living. The urethra immersed in wa- 
 ter, heated to 113° for two minutes, rose to the 
 temperature of 100^. Exposed to water heated 
 to 118° for some time, it rose to 102?, but no 
 higher.! 
 
 In my experiments on animals which had been 
 submersed in air of a high temperature, it appear- 
 
 See Buffon's Nat. History of Animals, quoted by A. Fother- 
 g\\\ in a new enquiry, §tc. Ed. 1798. 
 
 f See Hunter's Obser. on certain parts gf the Aninj. (Ecob.- 
 
48 
 
 e* that they received heat more slowly than in 
 those of Mr. Hunter. Immersed In air of W 
 of Fahrenheit for thirty-five minutes,* the body 
 was 104". In air of 120%t in thirty-three minutes, 
 h rose to 106% and in air of 111',* in not quite 
 one-third of this time, the heat of the animal was 
 102°. So that the power of resistance of the ani- 
 mal to the reception of heat, even during asphyxia, 
 produced by submersion, was considerable. Ani- 
 mals placed in air colder than their natural tem- 
 perature lost their heat generally in proportion to 
 the degree of depression of the medium. 
 
 In a temperature of 60°, in about forty minutes 
 it fell to W%j and proportionally less according 
 to the higher degree of the air to which they were 
 exposed, and varying, in some instances, from 
 other causes, as strength of constitution and ab- 
 stinence from food: this last result coincides with 
 the experiments of Mr. Hunter.j| The male cat 
 also preserves its heat after submersion longer 
 than the female. 
 
 The operation of cold in producing death is 
 easily traced in the symptoms already detailed: 
 the sleepiness and comatose disposition, which 
 
 *Expt.l8. fExpt.24. 
 
 iExpt.20. §Expt.44. 
 
 j See Observ. on cert, parts of, &c. fcond. 1792. 
 
occurs on its first application, prove the weakness 
 of the brain ; the numbness, insensibility, and loss 
 of voluntary motion show that the functions of the 
 nerves and muscles are also debilitated, and at 
 length entirely suspended. The blood-vessels 
 also lose their power and contribute to this effect. 
 From the experiments of Spallanzani the oxyge- 
 nation of the blood, which takes place even after 
 death, is, by a low temperature, completely pre- 
 vented.* Cold then acts, in inducing death, on 
 the general powers of life ; the remains of the re- 
 spired air are not ejected by the loss of power in 
 the muscles of expiration, and the oxygen present 
 in the lungs is not assimilated from the want of at- 
 traction in the blood ; thus, then, the animal dies 
 from the suspension of the mechanical and the 
 chemical functions, produced by the general de- 
 crease of the vital powers. 
 
 Hunger also operates by inducing debility of 
 the powers of life. The muscles of inspiration 
 cease to perform their functions, asphyxia takes 
 place, and, from the extreme debility, soon termi- 
 nates in death. 
 
 The various species of fever produce this final 
 change in the same manner. 
 
 All these causes may operate either slowly or 
 
 * See Ellis, p. 76, and p. 34 of this Essay- 
 
50 
 
 rapidly. The division of the eighth pair of nen es 
 may be partial, or combined with that of the spi- 
 nal marrow above the origin of the phrenic nerves ; 
 the quantity of water injected into the thorax may 
 be greater or less ; as also the pressure of tumors 
 on the trachea; asphyxia accordingly will be more 
 or less sudden. The decline of irritability after 
 death, it has been ascertained, will be proportion- 
 ed to the duration and violence of the pain which 
 has exhausted the animal previously, and of course 
 the probability of resuscitation* more or less cer- 
 tain. 
 
 We have now attempted to prove that the va- 
 rious species of asphyxia resemble each other in 
 their origin from the lungs, and the formation of 
 blood unfit for the purposes of life. On review- 
 ing the causes which produce this disease we find 
 that they are allied by close affinities, and that 
 they often unite in its formation. The rarefaction 
 of the air, want of food, and cold in its higher re- 
 gions, all frequently concur in producing death. 
 Heat also sometimes combines with rarefaction 
 of the air and want of food, as in the noxious 
 winds of the deserts of Africa, and frequently acts 
 alone, as in the humming-bird, which is said to 
 
 * See Bichat's Phys. Researches. 
 
51 
 
 become torpid during the summer in South Ame- 
 rica. 
 
 It now remains to ascertain exactly what changes 
 these various causes effect in the interior of the 
 body by which death is produced. 
 
 When the trachea is closed, the blood, in gene- 
 ral, begins to change in thirty seconds; in one 
 minute its colour is darkened, and it becomes per- 
 fectly like venous blood in one minute and a half, 
 sooner or later, according as the lungs are more 
 or less free fom air. This dark blood is the prin- 
 cipal cause of death ; other circumstances, how- 
 ever, conspire. 
 
 1st. Mechanical causes. The compressed state 
 of the lungs has been considered, by some au- 
 thors, as preventing the circulation, but experi- 
 ment does not confirm this supposition.* Bichat 
 and Coleman found, contrary to the opinions of 
 Haller and Cullen, that the circulation went on 
 equally well when the lungs were entirely collaps- 
 ed or distended ; this fact may be true in cases 
 where the heart possesses considerable power, as 
 in those on which the experiments were made ; but 
 it is certain, that as during asphyxia, this organ 
 is much exhausted, that the motion of the lungs 
 must have considerable effect in accelerating the 
 
 * Bichat's Phys. Researches, p» 173-4, Phil, Edit. 
 
it 
 
 blood, as it certainly would have, even in inani- 
 mate tubes. The effect they produce by com- 
 pressing the contents of the abdomen, and thus 
 forcing on the blood through the arteries and the 
 veins into the right side of the heart, must be con- * 
 siderable. 
 
 Bichat observed that the quantity of blood was 
 increased, on dividing the carotid, every time the 
 motions of respiration were accelerated by pain, 
 though the number of the pulsations of the heart 
 was not increased ; proving, clearly, that these mo- 
 tions produce ;a great effect upon the condition 
 of the blood-vessels, and that, of course, their loss 
 must be one of the chain of causes which produce 
 death. 
 
 2nd. Chemical causes. According to Good- 
 wyn the cause of death is the want of scarlet blood, 
 the appropriate stimulus of the left auricle, con- 
 fining the seat of the disease entirely to the heart. 
 Bichat believes that it is the presence of black 
 blood in the vessels of the heart and in all the or- 
 gans of the body which produces the effect. 
 
 From my observations, I should conclude that 
 the heart was debilitated in its action, first, from 
 the effect of black blood in the lungs, lessening, 
 by sympathy, the power of this organ; for its ac- 
 tion is instantly renewed and invigorated bv in 
 
S3 
 
 Hation, before the scarlet blood can reach the left 
 auricle and ventricle. 
 
 2ndly. The transmission of the black blood into 
 the coronary arteries, which takes away the power 
 of its fibres ; as it weakens and destroys the func- 
 tions of the brain, the nerves, the voluntary mus- 
 cles, in fact of most of the organs of the body 
 through which it penetrates, as is proved by tying 
 up the artery of a limb, and the injection of black 
 blood into the carotids — the functions of the brain 
 in the latter, and of the nerves and muscles in the 
 former, being completely suspended ; it is, there- 
 fore, very certain that the fibres and nerves of the 
 heart are equally weakened by the contact of black 
 blood. That it is not owing to the want of the 
 stimulus of the red blood on the interior of the 
 left auricle and ventricle as Goodwyn supposes, 
 Coleman states that the case of the foetus, whose 
 heart moves from the stimulus of black blood, is 
 sufficient proof. To this, it may be replied, the 
 analogy is not sufficiently strict; for, in foetal life, 
 the organs possess properties in many respects 
 different form those of the adult. 
 
 It bears asphyxia better than the adult, a qua- 
 lity which continues for some time after birth, 
 showing that the power of the heart is more inde- 
 pendent of the lungs in the foetus than in the adult, 
 an important difference, as these two organs are 
 
 E 2 
 
54 
 
 primary in the production of asphyxia. It is in- 
 capable of supporting an independent temperature, 
 requiring a degree equal to the mother in order 
 to live, and many of its organs, the brain, the 
 nerves, the senses, digestion and voluntary mo- 
 tion, are almost entirely at rest. It is, therefore, 
 improper to make a comparison between them. 
 Let us then recur to the facts in the adult system. 
 That the scarlet blood can act upon the left au- 
 ricle and ventricle, by distention, is satisfactorily 
 proved by the injection of black blood into these 
 cavities, reproducing their motions after they have 
 ceased;* that it operates by its qualities as arte- 
 rial blood upon the left side of the heart, it is suf- 
 ficient to state that it is its natural stimulus in the 
 adult state. A contrary effect, however, is pro- 
 duced in the right ventricle, during asphyxia, from 
 the distention of the stagnating blood which does 
 not pass through the lungs ; for when the vena 
 cava, or pulmonary artery, are punctured, the right 
 auricle and ventricle resume their contractions, 
 even after they have ceased. | This, however, 
 would appear to be the case only when the disten- 
 tion is considerable, and only with regard to the 
 right side of the heart, for in the left ventricle the 
 
 * BichaVs Phys. Researches, p. 179. 
 i See Expts. S), 13, 16, 17, 22. 
 
ss 
 
 irritability is prolonged by tying the aorta and 
 confining the blood in its cavity.* The disten- 
 tion of the right side of the heart is never exces- 
 sive, as appears from gentle pressure with the fin- 
 ger, expelling its contents, and from the fact, that 
 these cavities of the heart are filled merely by the 
 contractility of the veins, which is always weak: 
 in consequence, the valves between the auricle and 
 ventricle, as also between the latter and the pul- 
 monary artery, do not perform their functions 
 completely; the blood, accordingly, in the con- 
 tractions of the auricle and ventricle is never sent 
 into the pulmonary artery, or in very small quan- 
 tities, regurgitating into the ventricle, or passing 
 between the auricle and ventricle, without even 
 distending the pulmonary artery, so that the func- 
 tions of this organ are weakened in every respect; 
 in the right side by distention, and in the left by 
 the want of it during suspended animation. 
 
 It would appear, then, that the interruption of 
 respiration places all the parts in a state opposite 
 to that of nature, and thus produces death. The 
 cavse and venous system generally are much dis- 
 tended ; the right side of the heart so much so as 
 to exhaust the little remains of irritability of this 
 organ ; the pulmonary artery and lungs contain bat 
 
 * See Bichat's Pbys, Researches, 
 
56 
 
 little blood, a condition equally unnatural, as they 
 are deprived both of the stimulus of distention and 
 scarlet blood: the pulmonary veins are turgid and 
 filled with stagnant blood, and the left auricle and 
 ventricle are deprived of red blood, and are empty; 
 conditions almost in every instance, the contrary 
 of what happens in the living state, showing the 
 great power of the lungs and its appropriate sti- 
 mulus over the system, thus to overthrow and re- 
 verse the qualities of life in all the important or- 
 gans ; and leading to the conclusion that it is by 
 re-establishing the natural state in each of these 
 particulars, that resuscitation will, most probably, 
 be effected. 
 
 Bichat has proved satisfactorily, that the brain 
 dies by the contact of black blood, and that, of 
 course, the suppression of respiration acts in this 
 manner on this organ in asphyxia: mechanical dis- 
 tention, produced in the increased action of the 
 heart, also appears to have some connection with 
 this effect. When red blood was injected, by a 
 syringe, into the arteries of the brain, the appear- 
 ances of life were feeble, and death generally took 
 place, a result which might have been expected 
 from the rude imitatioji of the arterial action which 
 this process presents. We can now explain satis- 
 factorily the various phenomena of asphyxia; the 
 anxietv first felt in the lungs prove the origin of 
 
57 
 
 this affection to be in that viscus; the continual 
 struggles till death takes place show the violence 
 of the feeling; the black blood penetrates the heart 
 and is sent with force to the brain, and, in the 
 space of forty-live, sixty, or ninety seconds, the 
 functions of this organ are entirely suspended, as 
 far as regards external objects; a period, which 
 corresponds pretty exactly with that of the forma- 
 tion of black blood, by the suspension of respira- 
 tion, in the experiments of Bichat. 
 
 The pulse, during the loss of the scarlet colour 
 of the blood, becomes fuller and slower, from the 
 effect produced upon the brain, and gradually de- 
 clines till it ceases altogether ; as a proof of which, 
 if the animal be permitted to breathe, these changes 
 do not take place; the system then exhibits some 
 distracted motions, which are the result of the re- 
 mains of life in the different parts of the animal, 
 displaying, however, the best directed efforts to 
 replace it in its original state, by re-establishing 
 respiration. 
 
 We proceed, in the following chapter, to as- 
 semble all the indications presented by this sur- 
 vey of the phenomena of asphyxia, to restore the 
 animal to health. 
 
ON THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA. 
 
 First , from Submersion. 
 
 f he body must be recovered from the water, 
 stripped, dried, wrapt in warm blankets, and then 
 conveyed, with as little agitation as possible, to 
 the place of resuscitation. The old custom of 
 rolling the patient upon a barrel, or upon the 
 ground, of violently shaking, or carrying him over 
 the shoulders of another person, with the head 
 downward, have been deservedly omitted. Agi- 
 tation of the extremities, it is certain, has an ef- 
 fect in exciting the heart, for by pulling the aorta, 
 the axillary and carotid arteries, the heart being 
 exposed to view, its motions were considerably 
 increased* as long as any irritability remained ; 
 this remedy, however, promises little benefit till 
 respiration is established, and the heart begins to 
 
 * Expts. 36, 54, 
 
59 
 
 recover its power, and then, as in exercise, it may 
 increase its motions; it should be confined to the 
 upper extremities only, and applied by approach- 
 ing the extended arm gently towards the head, and 
 restoring it to the side, as by this means, the ax- 
 illary artery will be best extended and relaxed. 
 If long submersed, inversion of the body, for a 
 few seconds, to discharge the water from the lungs, 
 may be necessary: it should be done gently and 
 with the greatest care. An instrument has been 
 proposed for exhausting the water from the lungs ; 
 but the above expedient will be sufficient. 
 
 After being well dried with flannel, it should 
 be laid upon a litter, a bed, or in a carriage with 
 straw; the head gently raised, and the body plac- 
 ed in a supine posture : formerly, the patient was 
 advised to be placed on one side, rather than upon 
 the back, and occasionally upon the breech.* Kite 
 recommends a posture in an angle of 20° previous 
 to the use of any means of resuscitation; this po- 
 sition would have an unfavourable effect, as it 
 would increase the pressure and the quantity of 
 blood in the right auricle and ventricle, which, 
 from observation, has a tendency to weaken their 
 motions, and retard the passage of blood, by the 
 
 * Mem. of ¥icentini in Cog'an's translation of the Amsterdam 
 Soc. Memoirs, 
 
60 
 
 pulmonary artery, through the lungs. If the bod> 
 be raised and the head depressed, the quantity of 
 blood in the right side of the heart would be in- 
 creased, in a greater degree, by the pressure of 
 the column, extending from the feet to the heart, 
 and therefore, this posture is equally improper. 
 The horizontal, the medium between the two, ap- 
 pears to be preferable, as, then, when the heart 
 begins to act, the blood passes into the head with- 
 out the disadvantage of the resistance of gravity, 
 as when the head is raised and the feet depressed, 
 or the contrary; and without the additional dis- 
 advantage of the pressure of the column of blood 
 on the veins, distending and weakening the mo- 
 tions of the right side of the heart.* 
 
 The place to which the body is to be removed 
 is next to be chosen. From the debilitating ef- 
 fects produced by slight impregnations of the air 
 with noxious vapours, with moisture during the 
 prevalence of east, in Europe, and of west winds 
 in America, it is evident that as few persons should 
 be admitted as possible; six active and sensible 
 men will be sufficient; the room should be well 
 ventilated, and have an airy, northern, and dry 
 exposure. These considerations are important; 
 as in cities, and in situations near the water, where 
 
 * See page 30. 
 
ol 
 
 these accidents most frequently happen, all these 
 disadvantages are most frequently combined, and 
 the lives of many persons, whose constitutions are 
 weak, may be lost from inattention to them. 
 
 With regard to the application of heat, various 
 opinions are entertained. Submersion, for a few 
 minutes, abstracts but little heat from the body. 
 According to Goodwyn, the temperature may be 
 raised to 100° of Fahrenheit, and then artificial 
 respiration may be used. Coleman thinks the gra- 
 dual application of heat is unnecessary, and that 
 respiration may be commenced immediately. The 
 temperature, according to Hunter, should be pro- 
 portioned to the degree of life, and as heat pro- 
 duces greater excitement than cold, a sudden ele- 
 vation may destroy the resuscitating animal.* He 
 found that if an eel be exposed to a degree of cold 
 sufficient to benumb it, till life is scarcely percep- 
 tible, and be retained in a temperature of about 
 40°, it will remain without change ; but if the ani- 
 mal be placed in a temperature of 60° it will show 
 strong signs of life, and die in a few minutes: birds 
 are killed in the same manner: snails, leeches, 
 earthworms, fishes, dormice were frozen and could 
 not be recovered; the ears of rabbits, the tail of 
 the tench, and the comb of the cock were frozen 
 
 ♦ Kite, p. 88. 
 
b2 
 
 and restored more easily.* The gradual applica- 
 tion of heat, however, has been tried, though not 
 under circumstances sufficiently precise to deter- 
 mine with perfect accuracy the effect. An animal 
 was drowned and reduced to a temperature three 
 degrees below that of the atmosphere; it remain- 
 ed in the water, and electric shocks were passed 
 through it, so as barely to excite a contraction in 
 the muscles ; the temperature was then raised three 
 degrees every five minutes; the irritability dimi- 
 nished at every step, and before the body had ac- 
 quired its natural temperature, it was entirely lost.f 
 The principle of the application of heat has not 
 vet been precisely ascertained. 
 
 On this subject I have made many observations, 
 but, from the great variety in the duration of the 
 irritability of the heart, sometimes ceasing after a 
 few minutes, at others not for hours, in various 
 temperatures, I can draw no positive conclusion 
 from them, excepting with regard to the influence 
 of temperatures above 98° ; then the heat of the 
 animal rises above the natural standard, and, of 
 course, must prevent success. The temperature 
 of 150° of Fahrenheit produced rigidity of the 
 
 * See Kite, Lond. quoting Hunter 
 [Kite,Lond. 1795. 
 
63 
 
 limbs in a short time, and, of course, rendered 
 death certain.* 
 
 In one experiment, in air of 100° combined with 
 inflation, the circulation was much improved, and 
 the arteries contained more blood than usual.f In 
 other and lower degrees, the effect was variable.^ 
 The opinion of Hunter is most safe on this diffi- 
 cult practical question; that is, that the applica- 
 tion of heat should be proportioned to the degree 
 of life, and that it should be gradual, a precaution 
 indispensable when the temperature of the body 
 has been much reduced: if the body should be 
 nearly frozen, it may be necessary to immerse it 
 in snow, or cold water, and then gradually in- 
 crease it. 
 
 With regard to the mode, exposure before a 
 warm fire ; the application of cloths wrung out of 
 warm water; immersion in warm grains from a 
 brewery ; or in warm water ; sand ; embers ; or lees ; 
 or in a bed heated by the human body ; or by a 
 warming-pan ; exposure to the sun ; hot bricks, or 
 hot bottles filled with water, rolled in cloths, and 
 applied to the neck, armpits, back, knees, ankles, 
 and soles of the feet, have been proposed. As 
 
 * See Expt. 18. 
 
 f See Expt. 43. Of course, the simple effect of heat could 
 rtot be known, as it was combined with inflation. 
 
 * See 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40. i 
 
84 
 
 ardent spirits produce cold by evaporation, it is 
 an improper application to the skin ; a poultice- 
 made by boiling ginger in hot alcohol, has been 
 recommended to be applied to the feet: hot water 
 in bottles would be more easily procured, and is 
 equally efficacious. A machine has been invent- 
 ed by Dr. Harvey, of Manchester, for communi- 
 cating heat to the body : it consists of a hollow tin 
 apparatus, in which the person is laid, and filled 
 with warm water, which is renewed as often as 
 may be necessary.* This plan of heating the body 
 by water is certainly not so desirable as by air, 
 sand, or placing the body before a fire; for water 
 has a debilitating effect independent of the heat. 
 When the body is properly prepared for com- 
 mencing respiration, the lungs must be inflated by 
 the mouth applied to the nostril of the patient, if 
 no other instrument can be procured. A tube 
 may be constructed by rolling a piece of the sole 
 of an old shoe, or paste board, and securing it 
 round with thread ; and then inflating the lungs 
 by applying the mouth to one extremity of the 
 tube, the other being inserted into the nostril. 
 The pipe of a common bellows may be inserted 
 into one nostril, whilst the other side and the 
 mouth are closed, the cartilage of the trachea is 
 
 * See Ann. Repts. of the Roy, Hum, Sec, 180?. 
 
65 
 
 pressed backward to prevent the air from getting 
 into the stomach, and as soon as the lungs are fill- 
 ed, they are again emptied by pressing on the 
 sternum. Their motions should also be regular 
 and uniform, as it has been proved, that, when 
 the air is retained by the lungs in a state of extreme 
 distention, its qualities are less changed, in a given 
 time,* than when breathed by alternate inspira- 
 tion and expiration. 
 
 When the common bellows is used, the air 
 should be discharged in expiration from the oppo- 
 site nostril, otherwise it returns into the bellows 
 and again into the lungs ; the construction of this 
 instrument prevents its exit by the valve on the 
 side. In inflating the lungs of animals, with the 
 single bellows, I have observed the precaution of 
 pressing open the valve with the finger before the 
 air was injected, and then forcing that which re- 
 mained in their cavity through it, and afterwards 
 continued the inflation. This precaution obviates 
 all the disadvantages of the single bellows. The 
 double bellows of Hunter, however, from its con- 
 venience, is to be preferred. An instrument has 
 been invented by Mr. Field of London, by which 
 the lungs are entirely collapsed, in order to expe- 
 dite the circulation. The alternate and complete 
 
 * Ellis's Enquiry, Ed'tn. 1807. 
 f 2 
 
66 
 
 exhaustion of this viscus of its air, as mentioned 
 in a preceding part of this essay,* is not so fa- 
 vourable to the oxygenation of the blood as natu- 
 ral respiration: any other process, therefore, than 
 simple inflation is improper; particularly as it is 
 very doubtful whether the circulation is really ad- 
 vanced by entirely collapsing the lungs more than 
 by natural respiration. f 
 
 With regard to the kind of air to be used, there 
 can be no doubt upon the subject. Pure'oxygen, 
 nitrous oxide, and all the gases, excepting atmos- 
 pheric air, are proved to be unfavourable to life.i 
 As to the number of respirations, the Humane 
 Society of London advise twenty or thirty in a 
 minute ; as the imitation of natural respiration as 
 nearly as possible is desirable, ten are amply suf- 
 ficient. The cooling of the blood by the exten- 
 sive surface exposed by the lungs, and its com- 
 plete oxygenation, are circumstances always to be 
 "kept in view. 
 
 If the respiration be too frequent, the blood loses 
 its temperature ; if too slow, it is not oxygenated 
 in the greatest possible degree, and as this las.t 
 process takes place, even after death, these cir- 
 cumstances are not imaginary; particularly too, 
 
 * See p. 31. fSeep. 51. 
 
 4 See pages 35, 39, et geq. 
 
67 
 
 as it has been shown, by actual experiment, that 
 artificial respiration, if not too rapid, retards the 
 loss of temperature after death.* 
 
 In performing artificial respiration great force, 
 in injecting the air, must be avoided, from the dan- 
 ger of penetrating their texture,f and after it has 
 been continued for some time and resuscitation is 
 commencing, the number of respirations may be 
 increased, as we have before shown that the quan- 
 tity of blood in the arteries is by these means aug- 
 mented.^; Extreme distention of the lungs in this 
 stage is to be avoided, not only as it is incompa- 
 tible with the process of oxygenation in its most 
 perfect degree ;§ but also as it may produce em- 
 physema and a fulness of the vessels of the brain 
 by retarding the course of the blood; a circum- 
 stance worthy of attention, as it frequently causes 
 apoplexy, even in healthy subjects. 
 
 Condensation of the atmosphere to four times 
 its usual density is said to produce increased 
 quickness of the circulation, and to empty the cava 
 and the right ventricle, of course, to fill the lungs 
 with blood, an indication certainly desirable to be 
 fulfilled. 
 
 A bladder was tied to a pipe, which was insert- 
 
 * Philips' Enq. p. 215. 
 
 f See p. 33, and Expts. 41, 42. * See p. 52. 
 
 § Ellis's Enq. Edin, 18Q7 5 and p, 31 of this essay, 
 
68 
 
 ed into the trachea of a kitten ; a strong and uni- 
 form pressure was made upon it so as to distend 
 the lungs; the animal died after eight minutes. 
 The lungs were kept distended by a ligature made 
 round the trachea, the heart beat more strongly 
 than had been observed in animals killed in any 
 other manner. There was also no distention of 
 the cava and sinus venosus, and there was a large 
 quantity of blood in the left auricle.* 
 
 These changes were to be expected from open- 
 ing the thorax immediately after death, for as the 
 power of the heart continues still considerable, it 
 is evident that the circulation through the lungs 
 must, of course, exhaust the vena cava of its blood, 
 but as the lungs, in their most distended state, 
 can exert but little pressure on the vena cava, it 
 is clear that the effect of condensation of the air 
 can be very slight in emptying either the cavte or 
 the right side of the heart, in which they termi- 
 nate. Accordingly, from my experiments per- 
 formed on cats, some hours after death,f no effect 
 was produced on the right side of the heart, when 
 the lungs were forcibly injected with air, because 
 that organ had ceased to pulsate. The blood is 
 pretty equally divided between the right and left 
 sides of the heart, (if only ordinary distention is 
 
 * Kite, London. f See Espt. 41. 
 
69 
 
 applied to the lungs,) and is the effect of the power 
 of the circulation alone.* It is, then, certain that 
 condensation of the air in the lungs can have lit- 
 tle effect on the circulation; and as, when consi- 
 derable, it renders emphysema probable, it is cer- 
 tainly dangerous. 
 
 The use of Hunter's bellows with ordinary pres- 
 sure is most advisable. Munro recommends a 
 pipe like a common male catheter to be introduc- 
 ed into the trachea; Mr. Coleman added to a tube, 
 with a vegetable bottle fixed to one end, a direc- 
 tor made of a conical piece of ivory to secure its 
 passage into the trachea. This apparatus, how- 
 ever, is entirely unnecessary. A large tube, as 
 recommended by Monro, with a thick wire in the 
 inside to give it firmness, and slightly curved, may 
 be thrust into the cesophagus below the epiglottis; 
 the tongue is next drawn out and the instrument 
 retracted, as if it were intended to be drawn out 
 of the mouth, keeping it in a line along the mid= 
 die, but raised from the tongue. With this pre- 
 caution it readily descends into the glottis; the 
 irritation, produced on the internal membrane of 
 the trachea, offers no objection to its use, because 
 even in health, when the irritability is great, it 
 ceases after the first violent effort. A tube intro= 
 
 * See Expt, 7, 
 
70 
 
 duced into the trachea prevents air from passing 
 into the stomach, and thus the descent of the dia- 
 phragm continues free and respiration unimpeded. 
 The functions of the brain would also, on reco- 
 very, be weakened by the extreme distention of 
 the stomach. 
 
 If the introduction of the pipe be impossible, 
 which is not probable, bronchotomy should be im- 
 mediately performed ; a longitudinal incision must 
 be made three or four rings below the cricoid car- 
 tilage, the trachea divided between the rings, and 
 to prevent the blood from flowing into it, the su- 
 perficial veins are to be avoided and the head kept 
 in an erect posture. Mr. Justamond, a celebrated 
 surgeon of London, performed this operation on 
 a boy who had been drowned ; the discharge of 
 blood into the lungs, through the opening in the 
 trachea, was so copious that recovery was impos- 
 sible* 
 
 With regard to the use of inflation of the lungs 
 with atmospheric air, I have made many observa- 
 tions; alone, it certainly will not resuscitate ani- 
 mals, a result which corresponds with the obser- 
 vations of Bichat. Continued for about half an 
 hour in temperatures of 61°, of 70°, of 80% there 
 
 * See Obs. on Anim. Life and Appar. Death, by John Franks, 
 Svo. 1790. London, as quoted by Currie. 
 
n 
 
 appeared to be some promotion of the circulation. 
 In another instance, in air of 62°, the circulation 
 was not at all improved; in air of 100° there was 
 more blood than usual in the arteries;* in one in- 
 stance, though the power of the heart was appa- 
 rently increased by inflation for fifteen minutes, 
 the circulation was not in the least advanced.! 
 
 These are the natural means of increasing the 
 heart's motion ; of the modes proposed by art, gal- 
 vanism has* promised much. By Oswald it was 
 applied by a machine, composed of two hundred 
 and thirty pieces of zinc and copper, at the same 
 time that oxygen was inspired; the greatest pe- 
 riod of submersion was six minutes; in several 
 cases he was successful, and he failed but twice. 
 This result I confess I think questionable: the re- 
 spiration of oxygen alone destroys life, when in 
 full vigor, according to the experiments of Davy, 
 in a very short time; weakened by submersion, 
 its effect must be more decided. Dr. Philips has 
 proposed to conduct a stream of galvanism 
 through^: the lungs in the direction of their nerves, 
 and for this purpose he states that the power 
 should not exceed fifteen, or at most twenty-four 
 inch double plates of zinc and copper, the fluid 
 
 * See Expts. 39, 40, 36, 43. f Expts. 16, 37= 
 
 i See Philips' Exp. Enq. p. 329, Phil. 1818, 
 
T2 
 
 beinp one part of muriatic acid and water. The 
 application of galvanism and electricity through 
 the great nerves leading to the heart and lungs 
 appears to be useless; the heart is certainly not 
 susceptible through its nerves, if the stimulus be 
 applied to the eighth pair in the neck, as is the 
 case with the voluntary muscles. The experi- 
 ments of Bichat, Fowler, and Humboldt prove this 
 position; according to the two latter, it is neces- 
 sary that the influence be applied to the nerves a 
 short distance from the heart, a circumstance which 
 renders it probable that this influence did not, in 
 their experiments, pass through the nerves at 
 all, but was conducted directly to the muscular 
 fibres, particularly as Bichat found it impossible 
 to produce contractions in the heart when the 
 brain and heart were armed with different metals, 
 also the medulla spinalis and the last organ, and, 
 finally, the same organ and that branch of the par 
 vagum, from which it receives several nerves. 
 The two armatures were made to communicate, 
 and no sensible effect resulted ; the best mode, 
 then, of influencing the heart's motion is by apply- 
 ing the stream directly through the thorax, com- 
 mencing as nearly as possible to the heart. This 
 
remedy has beerwused successfully in resuscitation 
 of animals asphyxied from cold.* 
 
 Electricity also promises something in this dis- 
 ease: eggs have been hatched by it in forty-eight 
 hours ;j Abilgaard found that small promote, but 
 that large shocks prevent recovery4 Coleman 
 states that the hearts of young animals have been 
 made to contract, by electricity, from ten to four- 
 teen hours. The muscles were agitated violently 
 from four hours after submersion by applying 
 powerful shocks of electricity; in another subject, 
 the heart and arteries were roused for a moment, 
 and afterwards excitement was impouible by any 
 stimuli. § Kite found that small shocks lessened, 
 the irritability of the heart and muscles ;|j the ef- 
 fect was powerful ; it emptied the organ of blood 
 when inflation had no influence.^ In these expe- 
 riments, small shocks of one-third of an inch, from, 
 a phial containing twenty-four inches of coated 
 glass, were sufficient.** From these facts it 
 would appear that the exact power of electricity, 
 as a means of resuscitation, is not known. It has 
 been used in other cases, besides death from sub- 
 mersion, with good effect. A child, aged three 
 
 * Oswald, p. 70. 
 
 fMem. de l'Acad. de Berlin, quoted by Fothergill, p. 137, 
 + Ibid, p. 123. §Kite, London. 
 
 8 Ibid. K Ibid. ** Ibid, 87. 
 
 O 
 
74 
 
 ycara, fell trom a height and wa§ taken up to al* 
 appearance dead ; electricity was applied, after 
 twenty minutes, to the thorax, by passing shocks 
 through it, and soon after the pulsation of the ar- 
 teries was perceived ; the child vomited in ten mi- 
 nutes, and was restored, in about a week, to 
 health. According to my experiments, electri- 
 city, applied in a stream in air of 56°, increases 
 the power of the heart; broad surfaces, as con- 
 ductors, contribute to this effect more than points,* 
 and sparks not at all. Opening the pericardium 
 causes the heart to beat, after it has ceased to be 
 influenced by electricity;! inflation also increases 
 it with this combination. Electricity, by sparks, 
 and a stream both increase it, when exposed to 
 the air, by opening the pericardium ;\ electricity 
 lias no effect upon the heart when transmitted by 
 the eighth pair of nerves,§ nor in resolving coa- 
 gulated blood, an indication important to be fulfil- 
 led, as sometimes the power of the heart continues 
 nfter coagulation of the blood takes place. !| It is, 
 then, most properly applied in moderately strong 
 shocks by passing it through the thorax in a 
 streaA, and after inflation has been used for soitip 
 time.* 7 
 
 • Expt. 54. § See Expt. 50. 
 
 f Expt. 50. 1 See Expt. 55. 
 
 -. See Expt. 62. ? See Expts. 48. 50, 55 
 
75 
 
 With regard to the effect of other stimuli upon 
 the heart, I have made some observations. Wa- 
 ter, at 120° of Fahrenheit, applied in a bladder 
 near to it, has no effect whatever on that organ.* 
 
 The agency of ligatures applied to the extremi- 
 ties, so as to limit the circulation to the vital or- 
 gans, is very encouraging. A cat submersed till 
 death, and exposed in air of 100° to 110° for thirty 
 minutes with atmospheric inflation, and ligatures 
 surrounding the extremities, so as to limit the 
 circulation, greatly increased its power in the 
 trunk.f With the same combination in a tempe- 
 rature of 110° for one hour, the same effect was 
 produced 4 and also in another, in air from 100° 
 to 110° for the same time; in another, in air at 60° 
 for forty minutes, the circulation was equally in- 
 creased, proving clearly that ligatures, limiting 
 the circulation to the trunk, greatly increase the 
 power of the heart. The effect of the ligatures 
 in increasing the power of the circulation was very 
 decided, for in one instance all the extremities 
 were surrounded by ligatures but one, and in the 
 latter there was less blood in its artery at its pas- 
 sage into the limb, proving that if the ligatures 
 had not been applied, the circulation would not 
 
 ♦Expt. 52. f See Expt. 45. 
 
 i See Expt 46 ; 
 
have been increased in all the large arteries which 
 supply the trunk, as it would have been diffused 
 through the extremities: as distention of the arte- 
 ries and the left side of the heart is necessary in 
 order to cause the valves to perform their func- 
 tions, and as, in asphyxia, the blood is confined 
 to the venous system, the difficulty of procuring 
 a sufficient quantity of blood to fill the arterial 
 system, vnust.be evident, and the value of the ap- 
 plication of ligatures to the extremities, as it tends 
 to produce that effect, and, of course, to increase 
 the power of the heart,* is also apparent and cer- 
 tain. In these experiments, atmospheric inflation 
 was used in order to produce a sufficient power 
 of the heart, and distention of the blood-vessels 
 to found a comparison, on which to determine 
 the effect of circumscribed circulation ; without it, 
 it had been observed that there was no circulation 
 of blood, even in the armpit, f in consequence of 
 the weakness of the heart: and as atmospheric in- 
 flation alone had been observed not to increase 
 the powers of the circulation in an equal degree, 
 as when in combination with circumscribed cir- 
 culation, the effect of the latter was clearly evi- 
 dent and certain 4 
 
 » See p. 20, .55. f See Expt. 35. 
 
 4 >See Expts. 37, "9, 40, 43, and the subsequent experiment * 
 
77 
 
 During these operations, and after circulation 
 has commenced, frictions may be applied with 
 propriety to the body ; as it has been shown by di- 
 rect experiment that they increase the quantity of 
 blood sent to the right auricle, the distention of 
 which weakens its power, after asphyxia has taken 
 place, the postponement of this remedy, till the 
 blood has begun to circulate, appears evident and 
 proper; also as friction retards the passage of 
 blood by the arteries, as much as it facilitates that 
 by the veins, it should be gentle, and great pres- 
 sure should be avoided upon the bowels : it will 
 be best applied by the hand moistened with oil or 
 lard ; a brush has been used to excite the surface, 
 and whipping with rods recovered a case record- 
 ed by Justamond. Sal ammoniac, oil of vitriol, 
 and common salt, all substances which may de- 
 stroy the texture of the skin are improper. A 
 boy died after immersion, for fifteen minutes, in 
 a pit of salt lye; it produced inflammation of the 
 skin, and of the whole tract of intestines. This 
 substance, if used in frictions so as to destroy the 
 surface, and till the circulation was established, 
 would constantly produce this effect. 
 
 The flour of mustard, the essential oil of tur- 
 
 on the effect of ligatures combined with atmospheric inflation, 
 45, 46, &c. 
 
 o 2 
 
?8 
 
 pentine, boiled over cantharides, may be used , 
 the room, however, must be well ventilated when 
 substances of an acrid and volatile nature are ap- 
 plied, as the person may have an idiosyncrasv 
 with regard to them, in which case, the want of 
 ventilation might be injurious. With regard to 
 the action of remedies of this character, it may 
 be observed that as the most violent are necessary 
 to excite the body when in asphyxia, and as their 
 operation may be excessive, when life returns, it 
 is necessary to abate their action by washing the 
 skin, as it regains its sensibility. Volatile lini- 
 ment, composed of equal parts of olive oil and 
 vol. spirits of ammonia, will, perhaps, be the best 
 application, as it will not incommode, and will 
 stimulate sufficiently* The parts to which it should 
 most properly be applied are the trunk, particu- 
 larly opposite to the stomach and heart. 
 
 The operation of mechanical stimuli, as a brush, 
 when they induce inflammation, has been observ- 
 ed to render the animal more sensible to galva- 
 nism;* this circumstance demonstrates the pro- 
 priety of deferring this stimulus till the circula- 
 tion is established. 
 
 The vapour of vinegar, applied to the conjunc- 
 
 * See Fowler's Expts. and Observat. Edin. 1793. p. 128. 
 
79 
 
 tiva,*' rouses from syncope; light thrown upon 
 the eyes, volatile alkali applied to the inside of 
 the nose, loud noises, acrid substances to the 
 tongue, as prepared mustard or the juice of onions, 
 may be useful. Tickling the soles of the feet, the 
 sides and arm-pits, as also the nose, with a 
 feather,! are recommended ; they, however, can 
 only be useful after circulation commences, as the 
 passage of blood by the arteries is necessary to 
 establish the sensibility. Plucking the hairs:}: has 
 also been suggested, and it appears equally rea- 
 sonable with beating with rods, which has suc- 
 ceeded. It is in this stage of the treatment that 
 agitation of the arms promises benefit by stimu- 
 lating the heart from its effect on the vessels.^ 
 
 With regard to the use of internal remedies, 
 the essential oil of mint, peppermint, and other 
 aromatic stimulants, appear to be best adapted to 
 the system in this species of asphyxia; injected 
 into the stomach, they produce exhilaration with- 
 out any dangerous effect. Laudanum is noxious 
 from the difficulty of graduating the dose, as large 
 quantities must be used in this disease; six 
 drachms of laudanum were followed by an instan- 
 
 * See Bichat's Phys. Researches, p. 244, Edin. 1809. 
 ■j- Cogan's Amsterd. Memoirs. § Expts. 36, 54, 
 
 ±Kite, 1788, Lond. 
 
80 
 
 taneous diminution of the motions of the heart 
 after its injection into the stomach ;* six ounces 
 of brandy rendered more quick and feeble the pul- 
 sations of the heart according to the same author; 
 he also states, they produce their effect before re- 
 spiration, and, of course, circulation is restored. 
 Kite states that heated liquors injected into the 
 stomach, after hanging and drowning, have no 
 effect upon the brain. f 
 
 According to my experience, the effect of the 
 same agents injected into the stomach, of turpen- 
 tine, hot water exhibited no evidence of sympa- 
 thy between the action of that viscus and the 
 heart after submersion.:}: Electricity also passed 
 through the stomach, was equally ineffectual. § 
 
 It is evident they can produce no effect till the 
 circulation is established; it is, therefore, neces- 
 sary to postpone their application, and thus the 
 danger of giving a quantity which may embarrass 
 the functions of life will be avoided, as the effects 
 can be immediately observed; as soon as symp- 
 toms of resuscitation appear, water with a little 
 aether, Hoffman's anodyne liquor, brandy, or wine 
 
 * Coleman, 1802. 
 
 f Mem. Soc. Lond. vol. iii. quoted by Fowler p. 72 of Expls. 
 and Obs. 
 *Expts. 60, 61. §Expt. 62. 
 
may be injected into the stomach with the besx 
 effects. 
 
 The use of tobacco in injection has long been 
 recommended: Coleman gave it to a drowned 
 puppy* after all motion had ceased. One drachm 
 of tobacco was infused in two ounces of boiling 
 water and suffered to cool. With the common 
 means of recovery it soon made efforts to inspire, 
 and breathed tolerably well, but in less than ten 
 minutes, it died; as the same quantity given to a 
 small dog in health produced death in less than 
 four minutes, and as it would have endangered 
 even the life of a man, the dose was certainly fa- 
 tal ; no conclusion, therefore, with regard to the 
 powers of the remedy in a proper quantity, can 
 be drawn from these experiments. 
 
 Legare tried the effect of tobacco injected into 
 the intestines; he found that nausea, and vertigo 
 were the first symptoms ; on exposing the intes- 
 tines some time after submersion no peristaltic mo- 
 tion appeared, even after five minutes irritation by 
 the air, and when tobacco fumes were injected 
 of the temperature of 90° of Fahrenheit, the lac- 
 teah became visible and turgid, the peristaltic mo- 
 tion was more considerable, and the arteries beat 
 more strongly after every injection ; after thirty* 
 
 * Coleman. 1802- 
 
82 
 
 six minutes the remedy lost its power from the 
 exhaustion of the animal.* Administered of the 
 temperature of 65° by the anus it produced the 
 same effects, increasing the pulsations of the me- 
 senteric arteries, whilst the carotids beat as usual. 
 
 The injection of warm water into the bowels, 
 at the temperature of 130° and 65° of Fahrenheit, 
 increased the peristaltic motion in animals whose 
 abdomen was simply opened without any other in- 
 jury. 
 
 In animals submersed for one and a half minute 
 and for three minutes, no effect was produced by 
 the tobacco fumes, though they were continued 
 for an hour, united with artificial respiration; in 
 another, with heat and tobacco fumes, they were 
 equally inefficacious. The fatal effects of tobacco, 
 when administered in ruptures, proves the neces- 
 sity of caution in the use of this remedy. The 
 Abbe Fontana found that a small quantity of the 
 essential oil of tobacco, applied to wounds, pal- 
 sied the limbs. Accordingly, we may conclude, 
 from these observations, that this medicine, like 
 opium, in large doses is speedily distinctive, that 
 in moderate doses it first stimulates and excites 
 the powers of life. Like other substances of the 
 same class its use should be restricted till the re- 
 
 * Legare on the effects of tobacco fumes, Phil. 1805, p. 15. 
 
establishment of the circulation, and then it should 
 be given in the most cautious and moderate man- 
 ner. Dr. Hawes has invented a machine for in- 
 jecting tobacco smoke into the intestines; a com- 
 mon clay pipe, to the bowl of which the mouth 
 may be applied, answers very well. Other sti- 
 mulating substances are recommended; Currie 
 advises an injunction of two or three tea spoon- 
 fuls of spirit of hartshorn, a heaped tea spoonful 
 of mustard, or a table spoonful of essence of pep- 
 permint with a sufficient quantity of warm water; 
 these may be continued after some degree of vi- 
 tal power has been restored and the sympathies 
 of the system have been, in some measure, esta- 
 blished. 
 
 With regard to the use of emetics, they should 
 be postponed till the circulation returns: that the 
 stomach is insensible to white, to blue vitriol, to 
 emetic tartar, after the usual signs of life had dis- 
 appeared, has been proved by actual experiments 
 One drachm of tartarized antimony, given to an 
 animal submersed till all struggling had ceased, 
 produced no effect upon the internal coat of the 
 stomach or intestines.* When symptoms of re- 
 covery began to take place, vomiting and purging 
 were the consequence. The animal, however, 
 
 * Kite, Londo i 
 
84 
 
 died at the end of seventeen minutes from tht 
 commencement of recovery; and it is probable 
 that death was produced by the excessive dose. 
 White vitriol and emetic tartar, thrown into the 
 stomach, diminished the force and frequency of 
 the contractions of the heart, a fact which renders 
 it highly probable that these medicines are entirely 
 useless or dangerous in this disease. They pro- 
 duce great irritation from the necessary dose, and 
 are therefore unmanageable, and when they do 
 operate they weaken, and when they are retained 
 they destroy the powers of life. 
 
 As to the propriety of venesection when the 
 vessels of the face are extremely turgid, and there 
 has evidently been great determination to the 
 brain, it may be proper, as the symptoms of reco- 
 very begin to appear, to bleed in the jugular vein, 
 and thus relieve any congestion which may exist 
 there; but the quantity must be such as not to de- 
 bilitate the patient. As it is certain that empty- 
 ing the cava promotes the motions of the heart, 
 and as opening the jugular vein will produce this 
 effect, it is a measure which may be sometimes 
 useful, even before symptoms of resuscitation take 
 place, and may be practised as soon as inflation is 
 commenced. After recovery has taken place, 
 should pain in the head, giddiness, drowsiness 
 continue, it may be proper to draw blood from 
 
85 
 
 the jugulars, or apply leeches or cups to the back 
 of the neck ; in general the latter will answer every 
 purpose. Kite drew blood in forty-five cases, ac- 
 cording to the London reports, with favourable 
 effect ; it has been recommended by Coleman when 
 the • patients are plethoric, and it is necessary to 
 be particularly cautious in tying up the arm after 
 bleeding, as Cogan* relates a case, in which the 
 patient bled for some hours after this operation 
 in such a manner as to insure death. 
 
 With regard to the effect of the transfusion of 
 blood on the drowned, it has been conjecturedf 
 that eight or ten ounces of blood will produce re* 
 suscitation when injected into the jugular vein; 
 but it is evident that as the cause of death is owing 
 to the formation of improper blood, even if arte- 
 rial blood were injected, this quantity would be 
 too small to produce any effect, and into the ju- 
 gular vein it would be useless, because, in the 
 most natural state, arterial blood is unnecessary 
 there, and what is still more discouraging, even 
 if the whole arterial system could be filled with 
 scarlet blood, and not constantly renewed as it 
 changes its colour in one and a half minute, it is 
 
 * See Cogan's Translation of the Dutch Memoirs. 
 fSee Rep. of the Hum. Soc. Lond. for 1785-6, Sherwin's 
 Letters, p. 204. 
 
 H 
 
86 
 
 probable that resuscitation would, by these means, 
 be little assisted. 
 
 However, it is stated that resuscitation took 
 place, in an experiment performed by Dr. Gartly, 
 by the transfusion* of arterial blood. Bichat fail- 
 ed to produce resuscitation by injecting arterial 
 blood into the brain, because the blood was not 
 renewed by its union with oxygen :f if the mo- 
 tions of the heart were entirely suspended, the in- 
 jection was of no avail ; the animal could not be re- 
 covered after that change had taken place. It is 
 evident that the practice of continued transfusion 
 of arterial blood would fulfil all the indications 
 necessary to be observed ; the arterial blood, if re- 
 newed in the blood-vessels, would supply the sti- 
 mulus of distention, as also the proper fluid for 
 the support of life ; and to produce this effect, the 
 body of one animal may be used as the means by 
 which the circulation may be continued through 
 that of another. Accordingly, from the well 
 founded prospect of success afforded by this re- 
 medy, some experiments were made, but from 
 the coagulation of the blood in the tube, which 
 takes place very soon, even at temperatures nearly 
 equal to the animal body, I was unsuccessful, 
 
 * Oswald, p. 20. 
 
 | See Biclfot's Phys. Researches, p. 202-3. 
 
87 
 
 From the probability of pernicious effects from, 
 the influence of the blood of other animals upon 
 the human system, and the general impossibility 
 of procuring transfusion by means of the body 
 of another person, the experiments were relin- 
 quished. 
 
»S THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM HANGING. 
 
 This disease has been shown to differ from, 
 drowning, only in the effect of the water, which 
 conducts away the heat of the body more rapidly. 
 The same modes of cure are to be pursued. A 
 physician assured the great Bacon that he could 
 revive, by tepid baths and frictions, any subject 
 who had not been suspended longer than half an 
 hour, when the neck was not dislocated.* The 
 same remedies have succeeded in recovering the 
 drowned; cupping glasses, to abstract the blood, 
 are frequently advisable, from the accumulation 
 of blood in the head. Sometimes children are 
 suffocated by being covered in the bed-clothes. It 
 is common to permit cats to sleep in the bed, or 
 
 * Struve's Pract. Essav, p. 37, Albanv, 1803. 
 
89 
 
 on the cradle with young children : Attracted by 
 the pleasant temperature, these animals lay them- 
 selves across the neck of the child, and thus com- 
 pletely obstruct respiration. In these cases the 
 remedies for resuscitation are the same, 
 
 H 2 
 
ON THE 
 
 » 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM NOXIOUS VAPOURS 
 
 When a person is exposed to carbonic acid gas 
 he becomes drowsy, inclines to vomit, and has a 
 headach. The sleep becomes deep, and at length 
 the patient is insensible ; his breathing is natural, 
 without any symptom of suffocation ; and if he is 
 not relieved within an hour he is irrecoverably 
 
 lost. 
 
 In treating this disease, all the above modes 
 must be pursued, with this exception; as the body 
 is generally soon recovered, and the air is not so 
 good a conductor as water, the temperature is 
 greater than in cases of drowning; the application 
 of cold water, let fall from a height, or thrown in 
 small quantities with some violence against the 
 surface, drying it at intervals, has succeeded. If 
 it be winter, frictions with ice and snow may be 
 applied. Inflation with atmospheric air; galva- 
 
91 
 
 nism; electricity; and the other remedies for as- 
 phyxia, produced by submersion, must also be 
 used. Injection, into the lungs, of air impreg- 
 nated with volatile alkali has been proposed, by 
 Mr. Safe, in death from fixed air. It is probable 
 that it operates by stimulating the olfactory 
 nerves, and by sympathy, the diaphragm and inter- 
 costals. 
 
ON THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM COLD. 
 
 In high northern latitudes, parts exposed to ex- 
 treme cold become insensible, livid, and after some 
 time entirely lose their life. The person affected 
 is ignorant of his situation till informed of it. 
 The most effectual remedy is to keep the parts in 
 a low temperature by rubbing them with snow or 
 ice, taking care not to break the skin, and gradu- 
 ally and slowly raising the temperature. When 
 the patient has been wholly frozen, the same plan 
 of treatment must be followed; he must be rub- 
 bed or covered with ice or snow till the symptoms 
 of recovery begin to appear; flannels sprinkled 
 with volatile stimuli, as the spirits of ammonia, 
 should be applied and rubbed over the surface. 
 As the appearances of life advance, the preceding 
 means of resuscitation must be used, observing 
 
93 
 
 ibat the temperature should be gradually and 
 slowly raised in proportion to its former depres- 
 sion. This disease differs from asphyxia from 
 submersion in being attended with general debi- 
 lity of the powers of life from the loss of tempe- 
 rature; the destruction of respiration being merely 
 a consequence of that reduction. Hunger fre- 
 quently concurs in producing this species of as- 
 phyxia, and is cured by the gradual exhibition of 
 nourishing substances; equal caution in their ex- 
 hibition is necessary, as in asphyxia from cold 
 with regard to the application of heat. When it 
 is the sole cause, recovery is generally impossible 
 from the excessive debility it produces. Ardent 
 liquors often unite with cold in suspending life. 
 In Russia it is observed that the use of spirituous 
 liquors, in cold weather, are folio wed by a debili- 
 tating chill which favours the baneful effects of 
 Cold: accordingly, in excessive frosts they are 
 avoided.* Immersion in cold water, and afterr 
 wards rubbing with snow, are the most effectual 
 remedies. "When the extremities are frozen in 
 Russia, even when quite black, rubbing the parts 
 with goose grease has been found to restore their 
 life and circulation with great effect. 
 
 * See Travels from Petersburg to divers parts of Asia, bji 
 John Bell, vol. i, in the years 1715-18. 
 
94 
 
 Mr. Currie, in his book 04 this subject, men- 
 tions that after the taking of Ochakoff some pri- 
 soners were cured by this application by the pea- 
 sants, when others, under the care of the regular 
 surgeons, lost their limbs and toes by the use of 
 other means. The goose grease was smeared 
 over the parts while warm, and the operation was 
 often repeated, so as to keep them always covered 
 with the grease. The circulation gradually ex- 
 tended lower down, the blackness disappeared, 
 and by degrees they became perfectly well. 
 
ON THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM LIGHTNING, 
 
 When this cause has acted with great power^ 
 disorganization takes place: hemorrhages occur 
 at the mouth and nose ; the blood-vessels are rup- 
 tured; the pia mater is torn in pieces; the brain 
 is altered in its appearance; the skin is black as 
 ink and driven into ridges, and speedy putrefac- 
 tion takes place. In such cases recovery is im- 
 possible; it is only when no organic lesion of the 
 organs is produced, that there is any prospect of 
 cure.* 
 
 The violence done to the surface of the body 
 may be considerable, without necessarily render- 
 ing recovery impossible. A man was struck by 
 lightning, which threw him upon his back several 
 
 * Kite, p. 235, London, 1788, . 
 
96 
 
 yards within the room, with his legs upright .in 
 the air, in which posture he remained for a long 
 time, perfectly sensible but unable to open his 
 eyes or to speak ; he could not move his limbs for 
 some time afterwards ; his clothes were rent in 
 many parts ; brass buttons and part of his watch 
 chain were melted; the flesh of his right side 
 scorched and torn ; and one of his toes split open, 
 and yet his breathing was not suspended, nor any 
 future injury sustained.* A boy, struck by light- 
 ning, was carried home apparently dead ; the body 
 was stiff, cold, the countenance livid, and the eyes 
 contracted; by bleeding to twenty ounces, the use 
 of a warm bed, and strong frictions, he recovered 
 in a short time ; cooling remedies and purging re- 
 moved a fever which followed, and in a week he 
 was well.f Electricity has been used with suc- 
 cess. M. Abilgaard recovered fowls struck down 
 by an electric shock through the head, by another 
 shock through the breast and back ; a second shock 
 given to the head had no effect; that through the 
 breast restored them, even after the blood flowed 
 from the nostrils. :(: It would be prudent to make 
 
 * See Currie's Observations, p. 146, quoting the Phil. Trans. 
 1781, vol. lxxi. p. 42. 
 f Trans, of Roy. Hum. Society, vol. i. p. 198. 
 See Collect. Soc. Med. Haun, torn. ii. quoted by Carrie, p. 
 
97 
 
 the shocks at first gentle, and gradually increase 
 their power. Inflation of the lungs and heat to 
 the surface, should the body have cooled, will be 
 useful assistants. Stimulating glysters and drinks 
 may also be advisable. 
 
 Exposure to rain, as in the asphyxia produced 
 by other causes which do not diminish the heat 
 of the body, has succeeded.* Bleeding, inflation, 
 frictions, emetics, the earth bath, have also been 
 used.f To avoid danger in a thunder storm', 
 avoid trees, palisadoes, or any elevated object 
 which may attract the lightning; it is better also 
 to be thoroughly wet by the rain, as electricity 
 passes harmless over any substance whose surface 
 is wet. Leaden spouts, iron gates, iron stoves, 
 windows, bell wires, are dangerous during a thun- 
 der storm. 
 
 148. Electricity recovered a boy who was apparently dead hy 
 a fall, after other means had failed. 
 '* Fothergill's Preserv. Plan, p. 18. f Struve, p. 145, 
 
ON THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM FEVERS. 
 
 This form of the disease has also been cured 
 by exposing the body to water falling from a 
 pump.* The other remedies are also applicable. 
 
 A patient had a fever for nine days, was seized 
 suddenly with debility; the physician, on his ar- 
 rival, found him without pulse or respiration, and 
 was told that he had been in that state for a quar- 
 ter of an hour. The feet and stomach were fo- 
 mented with hot brandy, and half a pint of Ma- 
 deira wine was given him. A tremulous motion 
 was observed in the under lip, and soon after he 
 began to sigh and the pulse to beat; he became 
 sensible, and soon recovered. Coughing some- 
 times induces asphyxia. A child, labouring un- 
 
 * How. Append, p. 125, quoted by Kite, Essays, p. 583, 1795, 
 Lond. 
 
99 
 
 der a cough, was suddenly attacked with a diffi- 
 culty of breathing, and to all appearance died; it 
 was gradually recovered by inflation of the lungs. 
 The same remedy was applied several times and 
 with the same success. The attack recurred in 
 the absence of the physician, and the patient died. 
 Fainting, induced by any cause, when the person 
 is much debilitated, will suspend life, and if pro- 
 per means are not used will end in death. A wo- 
 man, after delivery, fainted suddenly; the maid 
 servant extended herself upon her mistress, in- 
 flated her lungs by blowing into her mouth, and 
 she soon recovered. On enquiry she said that 
 at Altenburg midwives practised this method on 
 children with the greatest success. This corres- 
 ponds with the method of Elisha used for the re- 
 covery of the Shunamite's son, 2 Kings, c. iv. 
 
 MHHH 
 
ON THE 
 
 CURE OF ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM PRESSURE OF THE UMBILICAL 
 CHORD. 
 
 The death of infants is often produced by the 
 too sudden rupture of the membranes, and the con- 
 sequent protrusion of the chord between the sides 
 of the pelvis and the head of the child. Death, 
 in this instance, results from the stoppage of the 
 circulation by the placenta: it does not arise from 
 apoplexy, because it would not be so instantane- 
 ous ; nor from suppressed circulation in the lungs, 
 because the same state of these organs will always 
 exist; nor from the want of nourishment, because 
 the child may be supported for several days with- 
 out it * Asphyxia in children may also be pro- 
 
 * See Dr. Clarke in Rep. of Hum. Soc. Lond. 1785-6, taken 
 from the 8th vol. of LoncL Med. Jour, and quoted by Kite, 1788 ? 
 Lond. 
 
101 
 
 duced by the death of the mother. Doleus men- 
 tions that signs of life continue for a day after 
 this event; a child was saved forty-eight hours' 
 after the death of the mother, though it was wound- 
 ed in the foot.* 
 
 Mr. Locock mentions a case in which a child 
 remained exposed to the cold on a table in a wash 
 house for something less than two hours; he plac- 
 ed it on his knees before a fire, chafed it gently, 
 and applied brandy to the stomach, occasionally 
 inflating the lungs for more than half an hour. 
 The umbilical chord began to bleed, the heart to 
 beat gently, the same means were continued, and 
 the child gradually recover ed.f 
 
 The remedies are the same as in other cases. 
 The use of ammoniacal vapours recommended by 
 some practitioners is dangerous, as they may 
 sometimes destroy life, A current of cold air or 
 cold water sprinkled over the body have been 
 sometimes effectual, particularly where asphyxia 
 has been produced by smothering under the bed- 
 clothes. 
 
 * See Osianderj quoted by Struve p. 37, and Kite p. 249, 
 Lond. 1788. 
 
 f See Currie's Obs. on Ap. Death, Lond. 1815, p. 138; 
 t 9 
 
-KEMEDIES 
 
 FOR ASPHYXIA 
 
 FROM EXCESSIVE INTOXICATION 
 
 With regard to the cure of suspended anima- 
 tion from excessive intoxication, the patient 
 should be laid upon a bed with his head a little 
 raised; his neckcloth and all tight bandages round 
 the body loosened; the body should be rubbed 
 with flannels, and the liquor removed from the 
 stomach by an emetic or by a pipe and syringe. 
 
 The emetic may be introduced by means of the 
 pipe and syringe, and should consist of ipecacu- 
 anha, emetic tartar, or of white or blue vitriol. 
 Thirty or forty grains of ipecacuanha infused in 
 boiling water, or three grains of emetic tartar, 
 twenty of white, and five of blue vitriol, may be 
 given, and repeated at intervals of ten or fifteen 
 minutes. I have seen a child, who had taken half 
 a pint c*f gin, completely recovered, and the sto- 
 
103 
 
 rnach more effectually and suddenly evacuated by 
 equal parts of sweet oil and sweet milk, given at 
 a short interval in the quantity of a teacup full, 
 than by any other mode: the effect was instanta- 
 neous: The stomach was evacuated without ef- 
 fort, as soon as the mixture was swallowed. 
 Should no emetic medicine be convenient, the 
 flexible tube may be used: it should be about four 
 feet long, introduced into the stomach, which is 
 filled with water by pouring it into a funnel at 
 the top of the tu.be, or by injecting it with a 
 syringe: as soon as the stomach is full, the pipe 
 maybe converted into a syphon by turning down 
 its upper extremity, and the water be again eva- 
 cuated. Remove all bandages from about the 
 neck, apply cups or leeches to the sides of the 
 head, should it be turgid with blood; the. hands 
 and feet should be next put into warm water. 
 
 Whipping with rods may be useful; the same 
 directions apply to the treatment of insensibility 
 from opium,* stramonium, and all the other narco- 
 tics. The stomach soon becomes insensible, and 
 emetics do not operate after these substances have 
 been taken. Affusion of cold water has been 
 found to rouse the system, after the ordinary 
 emetics have failed without it. If the patient is 
 . near a pump, let the water be discharged over 
 
104 
 
 him, after a dose of emetic medicine, and it ope 
 rates directly. 
 
 Mr. Brodie has proved that alcohol, of course 
 all spiritous liquors, porter, ale, cider, wine, &c. 
 vegetable poisons, as opium, act upon the brain 
 and cause the diaphragm to, cease its motion, 
 whilst the vascular system and the heart continue 
 their functions as before. He also ascertained 
 that the heart and arteries would continue their 
 functions if artificial respiration were kept up af- 
 ter these which were given; the conclusion was 
 natural, that by the inflation of the lungs long 
 continued, the animal might be revived, as actu- 
 ally took place after the woorara; the oil of bitter 
 almonds had been administered to a rabbit and a 
 cat; in one by continuing respiration for sixteen 
 minutes ; in the other for one hundred and sixty 
 minutes, recovery took place. He therefore pro- 
 poses inflation of the lungs as a remedy in these 
 cases. 
 
 It is necessary that the temperature of the ani- 
 mals should be kept up during inflation, as this 
 process tends to abstract the heat rapidly, when 
 the functions of the brain have been suspended 
 by the agency of narcotic or spiritous substances 
 
VHE HISTOH* 
 
 HUMANE SOCIETIES, AND AUTHORS ON 
 RESUSCITATION. 
 
 An account of these institutions and works, as 
 the most valuable contributions to resuscitation 
 from asphyxia, will be proper here. In Egypt, 
 Greece, and Rome, it was practised with success, 
 but no institutions were established especially for 
 that object. In the year 1637 a dissertation was 
 published by Peter la Sena on death from sub- 
 mersion;* two treatises are mentioned previous 
 to the year 1700; in 1651 Kirchmayer wrote upon 
 this subject, but his efforts were lost, and it was 
 reserved for the last century to commence, in a 
 scientific and effectual manner, this noble work. 
 
 * La Sena Petri Diss. 1637. See Trans, of the Roy. Hum, 
 Soc.from 1774 to 1784, and Struve's Pract. Essay, 1803. 
 
106 
 
 In 1767 Reaumur reported several instances of 
 resuscitation; in Amsterdam, a humane society 
 was established in the same year; Milan and Ve- 
 nice followed. The Empress of Russia publish- 
 ed an edict for the same benevolent purposes; 
 France, Germany, England, North America, and 
 the states of Barbary united in the same career, 
 and increased the distinction of the eighteenth 
 century. The tracts of Winslow and Bruhier in 
 France, and several minor writers in Germany, 
 prepared for the work of Hufeland in 1791, and 
 those of Bichat, Portal, and the Institute; Good- 
 wyn, Kite, Coleman, and Fothergill received ho- 
 norary distinctions from the Royal Humane So- 
 ciety of London ; and in North America, the Uni- 
 versity of Pennsylvania has produced some re- 
 spectable dissertations ©n this subject. 
 
APPARATUS AND MECHANICAL MEANS 
 
 PROPOSED FOR THE CURE OP ASPHYXIA, 
 
 1. Of the London Humane Society. 
 
 Fig. 1, 2, 3, are representations of a pair of 
 bellows for inflating the lungs, as also to inject a 
 warm stimulating vapour, as rosemary, &c. va- 
 lerian. 
 
 The mark, &c. A, fig. 2, is a lever for filling 
 the bellows with fresh air in inflations, which 
 must be turned over in inflating it, and turned 
 aside when the bellows are used as common bel- 
 lows for injecting stimulating vapours. 
 
 C, fig. 2, is a brass nozzle which fits into fig. 
 5, at D, for inflating, and into fig. 6, at E, for in= 
 jecting stimulating vapours. 
 
 Fig. 4, is a long flexible tube of the same de- 
 scription as fig. 7. 
 
108 
 
 Fig. 5, is a short flexible tube filled to the noz* 
 zle of the bellows. 
 
 C, for inflating its tube F, fits into figures 8, 9, 
 10, 11, 12. 
 
 Fig. 6, is a brass box inclosed in wood to con- 
 tain the stimulating substance, and is to be con- 
 nected at E with the nozzle of the bellows, fig. 1, 
 and at H with the long pipe, fig. 7. 
 
 Fig. 7 . A long flexible tube which, being fitted 
 at G, upon fig. 6, at H, is used for injecting with 
 smoke. 
 
 Fig. 8. A curved silver pipe to fit on fig. 5, for 
 inflating the lungs by passing it down the throat 
 beyond the glottis. 
 
 Fig. 9. A canula for bronchotomy ; it fits on 
 fig. 5, at C. 
 
 Figs. 10, 11, 12, are nostril pipes of various 
 sizes; they fit on fig. 5, F. 
 
 Fig. 13, are clyster pipes of different sizes; 
 they fit on fig. 7, at I. 
 
 Fig. 14, is a syringe with a flexible tube K K 
 for injecting cordials into the stomach. 
 
 This apparatus is contained in a chest lined 
 with baize, with proper receptacles for sponge, 
 flannels, flint, matches, steel, and tinder; and it is 
 used in the following manner: 
 
 When inflation is intended, the circular piece 
 of wood, B, fig. 3, is turned over the clack-hole; 
 
109 
 
 then fix the short flexible tube, fig. 5, Plate II. 
 to the brass nozzle of the bellows, fig. 2, at C ; the 
 ivory pipes, figs. 10, 11, 12, for the nostril; the 
 curved silver pipe, fig. 8, for the throat; and the 
 silver canula, fig. 9, for bronchotomy; each of 
 which, as before described, is adapted to the plug 
 of the short flexible tube. 
 
 When you wish to inflate, press the brass lever, 
 :V, fig. 2, open the bellows; then let go the lever, 
 and, by shutting the bellows, force the air into 
 the lungs. To extract the air, open the bellows 
 without touching the lever; and to expel the foul 
 air, press the lever, (to open it) and shut the bel- 
 lows, by which means the extracted foul air will 
 be thrown away; then, still keeping the lever open, 
 dilate the bellows, by which means it will again 
 be filled with fresh air; let the brass lever down 
 and proceed to imitate inspiration and expiration. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be necessary, at first, to fill 
 two or three times before you expel once; and, 
 for this purpose, you must remember to keep the 
 lever open whenever the bellows are emptied, in 
 order to take in more fresh air by the dilatation, 
 Sec. &c. When the brass lever is shut, and the 
 circular wood is removed from off the clack-holes, 
 it is a common pair of bellows. 
 
 K 
 
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Time of dying; Temperature; Peristaltic motion ; State of the 
 heart, vessels, and muscles after death. 
 
 Experiment I. 
 
 At forty minutes past eight o'clock, P. M. the 
 thermometer standing at 85° of Fahrenheit, a kit- 
 ten, about twenty days old, which had been with- 
 out food for twenty hours, was immersed in wa- 
 ter. In one minute and a half the struggles had 
 ceased. The thermometer was applied to the skin 
 of the abdomen, and examined, after letting it re- 
 main for five minutes, and the temperature was 
 92°, the surface being completely wet. In ten mi- 
 nutes after immersion it was 90°; in fifteen mi- 
 nutes it was 89°; in thirty minutes it was 88°. 
 The abdomen was opened to ascertain its tempe- 
 rature. In forty minutes after immersion, the 
 
112 
 
 thermometer was introduced into it, and its ex- 
 posed surface covered from the air, and in fifty- 
 two minutes after immersion, the temperature 
 was 84°; of the room 78°. The peristaltic mo- 
 tion still continued, and, in three hours and ten 
 minutes, it was again examined and it had ceased, 
 but the blood had not coagulated : in twelve hours 
 and eleven minutes, the motion of the heart had 
 ceased, and, on opening the pericardium, it still 
 continued motionless; the blood was not coagu- 
 lated; the right ventricle and the large veins con- 
 nected with the heart were filled with blood, 
 though not excessively distended. The pulmo- 
 nary artery contained some blood ; the pulmonary 
 veins were full ; the left auricle was nearly empty ; 
 the left ventricle contained almost none; the aorta 
 contained but little; the veins of the neck con- 
 tained some; and the muscles had lost their irri- 
 tability. 
 
 Experiment II. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 The Temperature ; Dissection; Veins; Heart; Lungs; Blood 
 vessels; Blood; Body; Brain. 
 
 A cat, about twenty days old, which had not 
 taken food for twenty-four hours, was submersed 
 till she died. The temperature of the room was 
 
113 
 
 85°. In one hundred and twenty-three minutes, 
 the temperature of the surface of the abdomen 
 was 89°; in one hundred and thirty-six minutes, 
 the temperature of the abdomen below the mus- 
 cles was 92°. 
 
 The muscles had lost their irritability eleven 
 hours after immersion. 
 
 The veins of the neck, as they descended over 
 the lower jaw, appeared gradually to be more fill- 
 ed to the right auricle, which was full. The as- 
 cending cava was also full; the heart was without 
 irritability ; the right ventricle considerably dis- 
 tended; the pulmonary artery contained some 
 blood; the lungs, a little air as the animal escap- 
 ed during submersion, and made a partial respi- 
 ration ; the left auricle was very small with very 
 little blood; the pulmonary veins somewhat dis- 
 tended; the left ventricle contained less than the 
 left auricle; and the aorta some blood. The 
 veins of the tongue also contained some, but were 
 not distended. The blood was not coagulated, 
 and the whole body was stiff; the veins of the 
 brain were not distended. 
 
 k 2 
 
114 
 
 Experiment III 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Time of dying; Temperature; Heart; Blood-vessels; Body, 
 and Muscles. 
 
 A cat was submersed till it died, with the in- 
 tention of examining her body some time after 
 death. Its struggles completely ceased in one 
 minute and a half, and it was removed from the 
 water in two minutes. The air of the room was 
 79i°. 
 
 In 7 minutes after removal from the water the 
 body was at 97° 
 
 In 18 minutes 97° 
 
 In 32 minutes 97* 
 
 In 42 minutes 96° 
 
 In 63 minutes 94° 
 
 In 86 minutes 92* 
 
 In 128 minutes 88* 
 
 The temperature of the room was 795° 
 
 The body was examined after nine hours had 
 elapsed, and the heart and large blood-vessels pre- 
 sented the same appearances as in the last case; 
 the body was stiff and the muscles had lost their 
 irritabilitv. 
 
115 
 
 Experiment IV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Resuscitation; its symptoms; Temperature; as also of the 
 healthy animal, and the effects of suspended circulation in 
 the living body. 
 
 A kitten, aged about twenty days, was im- 
 mersed for one and a quarter minute; it had not 
 eaten for fifteen hours. After laying it on the 
 table, it remained still for a few seconds, then it 
 gasped, breathed several times at the interval of 
 five or six seconds; in about two minutes it made 
 motions with its jaws as if it were chewing, 
 stretched out its legs, the abdomen exhibiting mo- 
 tions of convulsion ; it began to move its feet, to 
 roll and kick ; seemed in pain ; breathed with great 
 effort and with some convulsive movements of the 
 abdomen ; it breathed eight minutes after immer- 
 sion, forty-two times in a minute; began to mew, 
 to move about, and express great pain. 
 
 The temperature of the room being 81° of Fah- 
 renheit, the kitten still went on rising up to go 
 away ; the bulb of the thermometer was applied to 
 its belly and kept close to it by wrapping a linen 
 handkerchief round it, so as to prevent the escape 
 of heat by evaporation. After the thermometer 
 had been applied for ten minutes in this manner. 
 
116 
 
 the heat of the surface was ascertained to be ac- 
 curately 88° in about twenty minutes after being 
 removed from the water. 
 
 The thermometer was applied successively to 
 the bellies of three healthy kittens of the same 
 litter; it rose in the two first to 98°; in the last to 
 96°, proving that there was nothing peculiar in 
 the degree of heat of the animal. 
 
 Note. Suspension of circulation in a limb of 
 an healthy animal produces the same reduction of 
 temperature. In the summer of 1819 tourniquets 
 were applied by me to the humerus and thigh, so 
 as to compress the arteries completely, and after 
 fifteen minutes, the temperature generally fell to 
 90°, 88°, and 87°. 
 
 Experiment V. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 The time of continuance of sense; Effects of immersion for 
 two minutes. 
 
 A kitten was immersed for two minutes; it 
 struggled violently, turned its eyes upwards, paw- 
 ed in a direct manner up and down, pressing 
 against the bottom of the vessel so as to raise it- 
 self to the surface for the space of forty-six se- 
 conds, when its motions became confused, its 
 
117 
 
 eyes directed in no particular manner, and evi- 
 dently without an object. It was taken out at the 
 end of two minutes and gradually resuscitated. 
 
 Experiment VI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Time of continuance of sense ; Effect of immersion for three 
 minutes ; Symptoms of resuscitation. 
 
 Another cat, which had been without food for 
 twenty hours, was immersed for three minutes. 
 On first immersion its struggles were violent; it 
 attempted to rise directly upwards; the eyes were 
 turned in the same direction, and its motions all 
 tended to raise the animal to the surface; they 
 continued for the space of one minute, and then 
 they became irregular and directed in no particu- 
 lar manner. Afterwards it ceased to make at- 
 tempts to rise to the surface. It made one strug- 
 gle before the three minutes expired. It was re- 
 moved from the water at the end of that period. 
 In four and a quarter minutes it cried, and in four 
 and a half it made one great convulsive motion 
 with a deep respiration. In four and three quar- 
 ters it made another; in five and a half minutes, 
 it made a strong convulsive respiration with a ge- 
 neral stretching of the body, froth corning out of 
 the mouth; in six minutes, another of the same 
 
118 
 
 character; in seven minutes, another with no mi- 
 nor respirations in the interval; in nine minutes, 
 another; nine and a quarter, another; in nine mi- 
 nutes twenty-five seconds, another; it made three 
 respirations in the next half minute; ten in the 
 next; the breathing became now strong at about 
 eight in the half minute; froth coming out of the 
 mouth; the inspirations were deep; the abdomi- 
 nal muscles violently moved; the mouth gasping 
 at every breath; the expirations were strong, as 
 if the animal wished to force something through 
 the nose; the respirations were now about twenty 
 in a minute, twelve minutes being elapsed since 
 immersion; it began to stretch its legs; to breathe 
 more strongly ; the power of the lungs increasing, 
 and the general strength, till at last it recovered 
 altogether. 
 
 Experiment VII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 The effect of immersion for four minutes ; Symptoms of imper- 
 fect resuscitation ; Dissection. 
 
 A kitten, which had been without food for 
 fifteen hours, was immersed for four minutes; it 
 ceased to move directly upwards in fifty seconds; 
 made one effort to breathe just before the four mi- 
 
119 
 
 uutes expired, when it was removed. In one mi- 
 nute and a quarter after immersion, it made one 
 convulsive respiration ; in two and a half, another; 
 in three and three quarters, another; in four and 
 three quarters, another; in six minutes after im- 
 mersion, another; in seven and one-eighth, an- 
 other; in eight and a half, another more weak and 
 less full; in ten and a quarter, it made another 
 still more feeble, the strength of the animal evi- 
 dently declining, when it died. In one hour af- 
 terwards, the breast was opened, the two carotids 
 and the jugulars, the right auricle and ventricle 
 were only moderately distended; the pulmonary 
 artery contained but little blood ; the left auricle 
 and ventricle was moderately distended; the aorta 
 was empty ; and the blood in a fluid state. The 
 lungs were partially distended with air, and look- 
 ed red. The veins on the surface of the brain 
 looked pale and were not full ; there was but little 
 blood in the longitudinal sinus. The muscles 
 had lost their irritability ; the peristaltic motion 
 still continued in a very slight and scarcely per- 
 ceptible degree, proving clearly that the inspira- 
 tions which the cat performed before death had 
 some effect in partially exhausting the right auri- 
 cle and ventricle of blood ; in filling the lungs with 
 air and keeping the two sides of the heart more 
 equally distended. 
 
120 
 
 Experiment VIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Immersion for five minutes ; Symptoms of spontaneous resus 
 citation; Dissection. 
 
 On Wednesday, the 12th September 1821, a cat, 
 which had been without food for thirty hours, 
 was immersed for five minutes to observe the 
 changes of spontaneous resuscitation. On first 
 immersion, air was discharged from the lungs ; the 
 animal struggled to rise to the surface for forty- 
 nine seconds, its face turned upwards, the feet 
 striking against the bottom, eyes open, as if it was 
 the wish of the animal to ascend: But after this 
 period the head was thrown about from side to 
 side without an object; the legs were also moved 
 distractedly ; showing that after submersion for 
 forty-nine seconds it had completely lost the power 
 of governing itself; it was then let loose, being 
 still in the water, it laid on its side, stretching it- 
 self in a convulsive manner, occasionally making 
 three or four attempts to breathe in the third mi- 
 nute; in the fourth fewer, in the fifth still fewer; 
 it was then removed from the water and laid in 
 the sun in a temperature of 75° y but no disposi- 
 tion to resuscitation appeared. 
 
The abdomen was opened alter the animal had 
 laid for an hour in a temperature of 75°. The 
 veins of the upper surface of the brain were filled 
 with blood; the jugulars, the two cavse, the right 
 auricle and ventricle were also full. The left side 
 of the heart was not so full as the right, and the 
 arteries were empty. The muscles had lost their 
 irritability j the intestines were slightly inflamed; 
 the peristaltic motion was scarcely perceptible : and 
 the sphincter ani was contracted. 
 
 Experiment IX. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Spontaneous resuscitation does not take place after five mi 
 nutes immersion. 
 
 Another cat, which had eaten none for thirty 
 hours, was immersed for five minutes; one of the 
 eyes was inflamed; the cat exhibited the same 
 symptoms precisely as in the last case, pawing 
 and looking up till three quarters of a minute 
 elapsed, when it ceased to move for some seconds ; 
 at four minutes, the heart could be perceived beat- 
 ing in the side ; immediately after the five minutes 
 had elapsed, it was laid on a window, and it 
 screamed out in an involuntary effort to breathe. 
 Pressure was made on the thorax about the heart; 
 L 
 
122 
 
 it gasped, which was repeated on again making 
 the pressure. On rubbing and pressing the belly, 
 in three quarters of a minute it gasped again; 
 froth came out of the mouth ; the gaspings became 
 more distant and more feeble; at the end of fif- 
 teen minutes after submersion it was opened ; the 
 right auricle was pulsating vigorously ; the right 
 ventricle more so ; the pulmonary artery was punc- 
 tured and immediately the right ventricle con- 
 tracted more strongly; the right auricle became 
 also more powerfully contracted; but it was re- 
 markable that the two cavse which were laid bare, 
 (in this and the preceding experiment the peris- 
 taltic motion had, I believe, ceased,) did not be- 
 come more empty. The auricle also did not dis- 
 charge its blood, or at least in perceptible quan- 
 tities; the heart, then, performs its functions very 
 inefficiently after submersion, even though its con- 
 tractions continue apparently powerful. The 
 heart continued to contract for two hours; the 
 right auricle and ventricle much stronger than the 
 left auricle and ventricle. When the pericardium 
 was opened and the surface of the heart exposed to 
 the air, the right auricle and ventricle certainly be- 
 came more strongly contracted. The blood, 
 either in the cavities of the heart, or in the great 
 veins, did not become red. 
 
123 
 
 Experiment X, 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of six minutes immersion ; Dissection. 
 
 A vigorous full grown male cat was submers- 
 ed for six minutes; the temperature of the water 
 was 75' of Fahrenheit. In forty-eight seconds it 
 ceased to struggle with violence or to make efforts 
 to rise; no struggles or signs of life whatever 
 were observed after the animal was taken out of 
 the water. 
 
 In 15 minutes after immersion, the heat of the 
 external surface of the abdomen was 92 c 
 
 In 25 minutes 92 c 
 
 In 45 minutes 92° 
 
 In 5.5 minutes 91 5° 
 
 In 65 minutes 91° 
 
 In 75 minutes 90° 
 
 In 85 minutes 87° 
 
 In 95 minutes 86° 
 
 In 105 minutes 86* 
 
 In 115 minutes 86° 
 
 In 125 minutes 84° 
 
 In 140 minutes the temperature of the inte- 
 rior of the abdomen was 83° 
 
£24 
 
 The temperature of the room at the conclusion 
 of the experiments was 735°. 
 
 In this experiment only the head of the cat was 
 immersed. 
 
 On opening the body of this cat nothing pecu- 
 liar was discovered at one hundred and forty-five 
 minutes after immersion; the peristaltic motion 
 had ceased. The iris had no contractility; the 
 sphincter ani was contracted; the heart on its 
 right side; the veins of the tongue, the jugulars, 
 the descending cava, as also the ascending, were 
 tilled with black blood ; the pulmonary veins were 
 full ; the left auricle contained very little, and the 
 left ventricle still less blood ; the trachea was fill- 
 ed with froth. The head was examined thirteen 
 hours and fifteen minutes after immersion. The 
 veins of the brain were found turgid with blood ; 
 the longitudinal sinus contained some air and was 
 not completely filled; the body was stiff; and the 
 sphincter ani was still contracted. 
 
 Experiment XI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of immersion for five minutes ; Decline of tempera- 
 ture ; Dissection. 
 
 The head of another healthy, but delicate full 
 grown cat was submersed at twenty minutes past 
 
f£5 
 
 eight, P. M. the thermometer standing at 75°. 
 In forty-six seconds it ceased to make attempts to 
 ascend ; it remained five minutes in the water and 
 was removed, and exhibited no signs of life after 
 emersion. 
 
 In 8 minutes after immersion the temperature 
 of the surface of the abdomen was 92° 
 
 In 15 minutes 90° 
 
 In 25 minutes 88° 
 
 In 35 minutes 87F 
 
 In 45 minutes 86° 
 
 In 55 minutes 84° 
 
 In 65 minutes 84° 
 
 In 75 minutes 82" 
 
 In 85 minutes , 82° 
 
 In 95 minutes 81° 
 
 In 105 minutes 81° 
 
 In 115 minutes 80i° 
 
 In 125 minutes 79° 
 
 In 145 minutes after immersion the tem- 
 perature of the interior of the abdomen 
 was 76° 
 
 The temperature of the room immediately af- 
 ter these experiments was 734°. 
 
 The two last experiments were performed at 
 the same time. 
 
 The head of the cat was examined fourteen 
 hours and twenty minutes after immersion, and 
 l 2, 
 
126 
 
 the exterior surface of the brain was found to be 
 much darker than usual, from the fulness of the 
 veins. The longitudinal sinus contained a con- 
 siderable quantity of blood, and was partially dis- 
 tended. The veins of the neck, the venae cavae, 
 the right auricle, and ventricle were distended 
 with blood. The pulmonary artery was partially 
 filled; the pulmonary veins very full; the left au- 
 ricle and ventricle empty ; and the aorta contain- 
 ed a little blood. The trachea presented some 
 bloody froth on opening, which was increased in 
 quantity on pressing the lungs ; the body of the 
 cat was stiff, and the blood was coagulated in the 
 large and small vessels and in the right side of the 
 heart. The iris did not present any signs of irri- 
 tability, nor was the sphincter ani relaxed. 
 
 Experiment XII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 Effects of two minutes and a half immersion ; Dissection. 
 
 To ascertain exactly the period of resuscitation 
 after the shortest period of immersion, a half 
 grown cat was immersed for two and a half mi- 
 nutes ; it, however, did not recover, but remained 
 without motion. The heart, on dissection, was 
 motionless, supposed to be owing to violence of 
 
127 
 
 the servant who submersed it, from a wound dis- 
 covered in the lungs and the bloody water found 
 near the heart; the peristaltic motion was vigor- 
 ous, and the muscles retained their irritability, 
 and the temperature of the cavity of the abdomen 
 96°; of the room 78*. The heat of the abdomen 
 was examined three quarters of an hour after- 
 wards, and was found to be 88°. 
 
 Experiment XIII- 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of three minutes immersion; Dissection; Opening of 
 the pericardium; Puncture of the cava, 
 
 That spontaneous resuscitation does not take 
 place after three minutes, was proved by two other 
 experiments : There was no motion after removal 
 from the water after that period. Dissection. — 
 The right auricle was at rest, excepting when irri- 
 tated by the finger; the right ventricle moved 
 slightly towards its lower end. The heart, on 
 exposure to the air after the removal of the pe- 
 ricardium, retained its dark colour; the air had 
 no effect upon the blood through the auricle or 
 veins, though exposed for hours. 
 
 In one hour and fifteen minutes, motion in the 
 ventricle still continued, as also in the auricle, on 
 
128 
 
 irritation with the finger; the former moved more 
 vigorously on opening the vena cava, from the 
 removal of the distention ; the blood was "not co- 
 agulated. On puncturing the cava, the blood 
 spouted to the height of one and a half inches. 
 The auricle also lessened in size, but did not ac- 
 quire the power of contraction spontaneously on 
 opening the cava. The fact, then, is true, that 
 distention of the cavities of the heart prevents 
 their contraction. The contraction of the ventri- 
 cle produces no pulsation on the pulmonary ar- 
 tery; the left side of the heart was motionless; the 
 masses of coagulated blood which were found af- 
 ter its discharge from the cava, did not become 
 scarlet as it generally does. 
 
 Experiment XIV. 
 
 The Paints examined. 
 
 Effects of three minutes immersion; Puncture of the cava 
 Dissection ; Heat. 
 
 The other cat mentioned in the above experi- 
 ment, ceased to struggle violently and to rise di- 
 rectly upwards in fifty seconds, and when dissect- 
 ed, the blood was found coagulated in forty-eight 
 minutes after death. The heart was motionless 
 and did not return on puncturing the cava; the 
 
129 
 
 veins of the tongue were moderately full ; the cavae, 
 jugulars, and right auricle were filled with blood. 
 The left auricle and ventricle were nearly empty, 
 and the peristaltic motion had ceased. The tem- 
 perature of the bowels, in eighty minutes after 
 death, was 78° ; of the room 68". 
 
 Experiment XV. 
 
 A cat was immersed in water a., the tempera- 
 ture of 60°, gradually cooling down to 45°, at 
 which point it arrived in twenty minutes ; in thirty 
 minutes it had fallen to 42°, at which it continued 
 during the whole experiment. The cat remained 
 in the water for forty-five minutes, and the tem- 
 perature of the interior of the abdomen was 75°. 
 The muscles still retained their irritability on ir- 
 ritation with a knife; the heart was motionless, 
 and the blood had coagulated in the cava and the 
 heart ; the disposition of the heart and blood-ves- 
 sels was as usual; the thermometer stood at 80" 
 in the room at the conclusion of the experiment. 
 
J-30 
 
 Experiment XVI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion for five minutes ; Circulation extinct ; Wa 
 ter in the trachea ; No circulation of the lungs from inflation ; 
 Puncture of the cava. 
 
 A cat was immersed for five minutes, and was 
 opened immediately in order to discover the state 
 of the circulation. The appearances on dissec- 
 tion were as formerly. The heart pulsated occa- 
 sionally ; the artery in the arm-pit was laid bare, 
 but there was no pulsation in it, and scarcely any 
 blood discharged from it on dividing it; the tra- 
 chea was divided; water was found in it. The 
 lungs were inflated about fifteen minutes after im- 
 mersion, and the power of the heart increased; 
 the quantity of blood, however, in the venae cavae 
 or in the right auricle did not diminish; nor did 
 the lungs become coloured, but exhibited a yellow- 
 ish white appearance, showing clearly that no ar- 
 terial blood passed through them. Puncture of 
 the ascending cava caused great increase of mo- 
 tion in the right ventricle ; it contracted more fre- 
 quently, as also with more power, evidently pro- 
 duced by the removal of its distention, for pres- 
 sure upon it caused the blood to flow through the 
 puncture, so as to exhaust it completely. 
 
131 
 
 Experiment XVII, 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Puncture of the cava. 
 
 The same observations were repeated with re- 
 gard to the puncture of the cava and with the same 
 result. 
 
 Experiment XVIII. 
 
 Effect of 150° of Fahrenheit after submersion for four mi- 
 nutes; Blood; Heat; Puncture of the cava; Heart and Mus- 
 cles. 
 
 A cat was drowned by submersion for four 
 minutes. It was then exposed to a temperature 
 of 150° of Fahrenheit; the limbs began to stiffen 
 in fifteen minutes after immersion. After immer- 
 sion, in seventeen minutes the fore-legs were quite 
 stiff. As the resuscitation was hopeless, the dis- 
 section was made; in three minutes more the hind 
 legs were stiff; the blood in the liver had not co» 
 agulated; the temperature of the interior of the 
 abdomen was, thirty-five minutes after immersion, 
 104° of Fahrenheit; the heart had ceased ; the vena 
 cava was punctured ; the blood effused coagulated 
 in a very short time, so as to induce the idea that 
 
132 
 
 the surface of the heart and lungs had some agency 
 in effecting it. The heart did not move on punc- 
 turing it with the knife, or irritating it with the 
 finger, and the aperture in the cava had no effect 
 whatever in exciting it. The muscles had lost 
 their irritability. 
 
 Experiment XIX. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of 124° of Fahrenheit after a submersion of four im 
 nutes; Heat; Irritability; Heart. 
 
 A very young kitten was submersed in water 
 for four minutes, so far as to produce death with- 
 out wetting the surface of the body. It- was put 
 into a temperature of 124° of Fahrenheit. It 
 breathed twice after it was put into this increased 
 temperature, but did not resuscitate. In twenty- 
 four minutes the abdomen was opened and the 
 temperature of its inside was 96°. In twenty- 
 eight minutes after submersion the intestines had 
 lost their irritability, as also the muscles; the 
 heart had ceased to move on irritation with the 
 knife, and on puncturing the cava the blood wa* 
 fluid. 
 
133 
 
 Experiment -XX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of immersion for four minutes and exposure to air of 
 111 of Fahrenheit; Heart; Heat ; Peristaltic motion ; Lungs ; 
 Inflation. 
 
 Another cat was submersed for four minutes 
 and exposed to air of 111° of Fahrenheit's ther- 
 mometer for twelve minutes. No symptoms of 
 resuscitation appeared; it was removed and the 
 heart was found to be motionless, except when 
 irritated j it would then continue to move for 
 some seconds spontaneously, and in twenty-five 
 minutes the right ventricle had lost its irritability 
 entirely, though the right auricle continued to 
 move when irritated. The temperature of the ab- 
 domen was 102° after the intestines had lost their 
 irritability, and also the muscles. The lungs were 
 inflated at thirty minutes after immersion, and 
 the power and motion of the right auricle was evi- 
 dently increased; the pulmonary veins were eva- 
 cuated, but the right side of the heart remained 
 full of black blood; the artificial respiration was 
 continued for a few minutes. After about ten 
 minutes it was again repeated and the power of 
 the heart was again increased ; the left auricle was 
 
 M 
 
134 
 
 empty ; the heart contracted with more power. In 
 a few minutes after, the contents of the right side 
 of the heart, both of the auricle and ventricle, were 
 pressed with the fingers into the pulmonary ar- 
 tery so as to exhaust their cavities, and then the 
 inflation was commenced and continued for eight 
 or ten respirations ; the surface of the lungs was 
 more red, and the left auricle was fuller, and the 
 coronary arteries on the left side were evidently 
 more red; the heart also resumed its power. 
 
 Experiment XXI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Meet of immersion for four minutes and exposure to 102° of 
 Fahrenheit. 
 
 A young kitten was immersed for four minutes 
 and placed in air of the temperature of 102° of 
 Fahrenheit; it resuscitated gradually and in twen- 
 ty-one minutes after immersion was perfectly re- 
 stored. This proves that the temperature of 102 c 
 of Fahrenheit does not prevent resuscitation, 
 
135 
 
 Experiment XXII, 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion for five minutes and exposure to a tem- 
 perature of 100° of Fahrenheit ; Heart ; Puncture of the cava ; 
 Muscles ; Peristaltic motion ; Remarks. 
 
 The same kitten, in half an hour, was submers- 
 ed for five minutes and placed in a temperature of 
 100°. If it recovered it would prove, in the most 
 decided manner, the salutary qualities of this de- 
 gree of temperature. It drew a convulsive breath 
 immediately after being removed from the water, 
 and another in two minutes after. The symptoms 
 of resuscitation were again observed. The ther- 
 mometer had fallen to 92° in the place where the 
 cat was; at the end of eleven minutes to 90°; at 
 the end of thirty-seven without any evidences of 
 resuscitation. The cat was then opened. The 
 right auricle and ventricle of the heart beat with 
 some power; the left side had ceased to beat; the 
 state of the parts was as before observed; the 
 puncture of the vena cava evacuated the blood 
 from the auricle and ventricle; the former was 
 not increased in power; the latter considerably,, 
 The muscles had lost their irritability, and the 
 peristaltic motion bad ceased. As the immersion 
 
136 
 
 in this case was for five minutes, it renders it pro- 
 bable that this temperature has no noxious qua- 
 lities, for it is rare for this animal to stir after im- 
 mersion for five minutes. The cases in which 
 young kittens are used must be distinguished from 
 those which are more advanced, as the former are 
 drowned with more difficulty. 
 
 Experiment XXIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of air of the temperature of 134° after an immersion of 
 four minutes. Dissection. 
 
 A kitten was submersed for five minutes, and 
 exposed for fifteen minutes to air of a variable 
 temperature, between 100° and 134°, without the 
 least symptom of resuscitation. In fifteen mi- 
 nutes the limbs did not begin to grow stiff. It 
 was opened ; the heart was quiescent, except the 
 right auricle; the peristaltic motion still continu- 
 ed; the blood was fluid, and the great blood-ves- 
 sels about the heart in other respects as usual; the 
 left auricle contained rather more blood than is 
 common, being nearly full. 
 
137 
 
 Experiment XXIV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of immersion in an air of 120°. 
 
 A full grown cat was submersed for four mi- 
 nutes and exposed to a temperature of 120° for 
 thirty-three minutes, and was then opened ; the 
 heart had ceased to beat; the muscles had lost 
 their irritability ; and the peristaltic motion had 
 ceased. The symptoms of resuscitation appeared 
 in this case. The state of the viscera showed an 
 entire cessation of the powers of life in conse- 
 quence of the application of this high degree of 
 heat. The limbs, however, were not stiff, as in 
 one of the former cases. The temperature of the 
 interior of the abdomen was 106°. 
 
 Experiment XXV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for five minutes, and of air at 100°, Dis- 
 section. 
 
 A kitten was submersed for five minutes in 
 water and removed into air of the temperature of 
 100° of Fahrenheit, in which it remained for fif- 
 teen minutes without the least symptom of life, 
 
 M 2 
 
L3b 
 
 It was removed and opened; the right auricle ot 
 the heart was found pulsating with vigour; the 
 right ventricle had some slight motion, and the 
 left side was quiescent ; the veins and large blood- 
 vessels were as usual; the peristaltic motion was 
 vigorous. The result of this experiment proves 
 that the temperature of 98° is more favourable to 
 the continuance of the functions than those which 
 are higher. The muscles had lost their irritabi- 
 lity, and, in thirty minutes after immersion, in a 
 temperature of 69°, the peristaltic motion of the 
 bowels still continued; also the motion of the 
 right auricle was occasional and strong. 
 
 Experiment XXVI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of 64° of Fahrenheit on the heart, &c. 
 
 An old female cat was submersed in water at 
 the temperature of 64° for three minutes and ex- 
 posed to the open air. She ceased to struggle in 
 one minute and a quarter, and did not move af- 
 terwards. On examination, in half an hour after 
 immersion, the heart was motionless and the pe- 
 ristaltic motion of the intestines had ceased. 
 
139 
 
 Experiment XXVII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of 64° on the heart. 
 
 A young female cat about half grown was sub- 
 mersed in water at the temperature of 64° of Fah- 
 renheit for four minutes and exposed to the open 
 air of the same temperature. In two hours after, 
 the heart still beat. The peristaltic motion ceas- 
 ed in half an hour. In twelve hours and a quar- 
 ter the heart was examined, and I thought, on com- 
 pressing the right auricle with the finger, that it 
 gave a slight convulsive motion ; but as it did not 
 occur on repetition of the irritation, it was con- 
 cluded that the irritability of the heart, if not en- 
 tirely, was almost exhausted. On puncturing the 
 superior cava the blood gradually flowed from the 
 right auricle, and on pressing both the auricle and 
 ventricle the blood flowed in a rapid stream, show- 
 ing that the communication was easy between the 
 auricle, ventricle, and veins, and that it would be 
 possible to exhaust, by suction, from one of the 
 jugulars, the cavities of the heart, and, of course, 
 increase its power. In this instance, the punc- 
 ture of the descending cava and the consequent 
 exhaustion of the right side of the heart had no 
 
140 
 
 effect in resuscitating its motions. They were 
 perfectly quiescent. A clot of blood was found 
 protruding through the puncture of the cava, 
 which, when drawn out, evidently appeared to pe- 
 netrate into the cavities of the heart. Much of 
 the blood was still fluid, and I think the circula- 
 tion might have been kept up, notwithstanding the 
 coagulum. The colour of the blood, in the de- 
 scending cava, was slightly red in its smaller 
 branches. 
 
 Experiment XXVIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of five minutes submersion and 92° of Fahrenheit. 
 
 A very young kitten was submersed for five 
 minutes and removed to a temperature of 92° Fah- 
 renheit. It had scarcely been taken out of the 
 water before it began to breathe. It was again 
 immersed for almost one minute. It gradually 
 recovered, but exhibited signs of uneasiness in 
 the heated atmosphere. 
 
141 
 
 Experiment XXIX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for four minutes and 92° of Fahrenheit, 
 and of air of 80°. Dissection. 
 
 Another half grown cat was submersed for 
 four minutes and put into a temperature of 92° of 
 Fahrenheit. It exhibited not the slightest symp- 
 toms of resuscitation after being removed to the 
 heated air, but appeared perfectly dead . In thirty- 
 five minutes after immersion the heart had ceased 
 and did not move, even on irritating it with » 
 knife; the peristaltic motion continued slightly; 
 the blood was not coagulated ; and the tempera- 
 ture of the interior of the abdomen was 87° of 
 Fahrenheit. 
 
 Experiment XXX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of air of 80° of Fahrenheit. 
 
 Another kitten was immersed for six minutes 
 and exposed to 80° for one hour and twenty-three 
 minutes, and then examined. The heart had 
 ceased to beat, and also the peristaltic motion, 
 
142 
 
 Experiment XXXI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for six minutes and of 80° of Fahrenheit. 
 
 Another kitten of the same age was exposed 
 in the same manner and under the same circum- 
 stances for one hour and twenty-three minutes. 
 The heart had no motion except a little in the 
 right auricle; the peristaltic motion had ceased; 
 the blood had coagulated in the descending cava, 
 though not in the heart. These two last kittens 
 had been without food for eighteen hours. The 
 thermometer was 80°. 
 
 Experiment XXXII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Submersion for six minutes ; Effects of 82° of Fahrenheit ; Dis 
 section ; Puncture of the cava. 
 
 Two other kittens of the same litter, which had 
 not taken food for eighteen hours, were submers- 
 ed for six minutes and exposed to a temperature 
 of 82° for three quarters of an hour. The heart 
 of one was pulsating; the right auricle moved with 
 considerable vigour; the right ventricle mode- 
 rately; the action of both the right auricle and 
 
143 
 
 ventricle was increased by the puncture of the 
 cava; the peristaltic motion continued in both kit- 
 tens. The heart of the other had some consider- 
 able motion in the right auricle, but had lost its 
 motion in the other cavities of this organ. At the 
 end of fifty-five minutes after immersion, the right 
 ventricle did not recover its beats when the cava 
 was punctured. The veins near the heart were 
 more empty in the young cats of this litter last 
 experimented upon, after dissection, because they 
 had breathed aftej- immersion. The veins of the 
 neck in the cats generally used in these experi- 
 ments were not fuller than those in the axilla ; a 
 fact which shows that nothing like apoplexy takes 
 place in submersion, for the whole venous system 
 appears to be equally full. 
 
 Experiment XXXIIL 
 
 The Points examined. 
 ■ Effects of 72° of Fahrenheit. Dissection. 
 
 A full grown cat, which had not eaten for 
 twenty-four hours, was submersed for four mi- 
 nutes and exposed to the air of the heat of 72° for 
 an hour. The right auricle of the heart still con- 
 tinued to move ; the blood was, in some degree s 
 coagulated, the heart being partially filled with 
 
144 
 
 clots; the peristaltic motion and irritability of the 
 muscles had ceased; the stomach contained a con- 
 siderable quantity of water. In several, the irri- 
 tability of the muscles remained for so short a 
 time, that, in the last experiment, it has not been 
 noticed. In this experiment the cat was in a de- 
 bilitated state, as also in the six last preceding, so 
 that the conclusion of the temperature being fa- 
 vourable to the support of life is strong. 
 
 Experiment XXXIV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of 72° of Fahrenheit. Dissection. 
 
 A young kitten, which had been resuscitated 
 and was much debilitated, was again submersed 
 for seven and a half minutes ; and after three quar- 
 ters of an hour's exposure to the air of the tempe- 
 rature of 72° of Fahrenheit, the heart, the peris- 
 taltic motion, and the irritability of the muscles 
 had ceased. It had not eaten for twenty-four 
 hours. The stomach contained a considerable, 
 quantity of water. 
 
14i 
 
 Experiment XXXV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of obstruction of circulation in the limbs on the power 
 of the heart after submersion ; Puncture of the vena cava % 
 Blood ; Heart ; Diaphragm ; Muscles. 
 
 A cat was strangled, and as soon as it had 
 ceased to move its thorax was opened. The heart 
 was found quiescent; of course the experiment 
 failed. The lungs were natural, partially collaps- 
 ed ; and the venous trunks full of blood. A punc- 
 ture in the descending cava evacuated the blood 
 from the right auricle, yet caused no motion; the 
 blood coagulated immediately on effusion from the 
 vessels; the diaphragm moved on irritating the 
 phrenic nerve ; the heart had lost its irritability, 
 and the muscles also : A circumstance which may 
 have been produced by the excessive struggles of 
 the animal which exhausted it. 
 
 By examining the humeral artery in the arm- 
 pit in another animal, a few minutes after sub- 
 mersion, the heart still beating, the circulation 
 was scarcely, if at all perceptible. To tie up the 
 artery is therefore useless, as the circulation does 
 not extend to the arm-pit, of course not to the 
 thigh. It was postponed till, from the increase of 
 
146 
 
 ♦he power of the heart, produced by artificial infla- 
 tion, the blood could be sent through the artery, 
 The following experiments, then, are intended to 
 examine the effect of various temperatures com- 
 bined with inflation of atmospheric air as a means 
 of exciting the power of the heart, preparatory to 
 tying up the arteries, as a further auxiliary to 
 strengthen the circulation. 
 
 Experiment XXXVI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for eight minutes; Inflation for thirty- 
 five minutes ; Veins ; Heart ; Peristaltic motion ; Heat of ab- 
 domen—of the room; Cavity of the pleura; Cause of diffi- 
 culty. 
 
 A half grown cat was submersed for eight 
 minutes. She was then withdrawn and the infla- 
 tion of the lungs commented at four minutes after 
 immersion. The inflation was continued through 
 the divided trachea for thirty-five minutes, when 
 the thorax was opened. The descending cava 
 was not so much distended with blood as usual; 
 the veins in the arm-pit were also less distended, 
 and some blood could be perceived in the axillary 
 artery; the veins of the neck were considerably 
 distended, though, perhaps, not quite so full as 
 usual; the pulmonary veins were full of scarlet 
 
147 
 
 blood, and the ascending cava appeared quite as 
 full as it was generally; the two sides of the heart 
 were pulsating with more force than in any other 
 case hitherto examined ; they continued to beat for 
 an hour with considerable vigor, and when irri- 
 tated, contracted strongly in all their cavities; the 
 peristaltic motion was not perceptible in thirty-five 
 minutes after immersion, and the temperature of 
 the abdomen had fallen to 70° of Fahrenheit; the 
 temperature of the air of the room was 61°; the 
 heart continued to beat for ninety minutes after 
 immersion with considerable vigor. In four and 
 a half hours after, the whole right side still con- 
 tracted, and also the left auricle when irritated; 
 the lungs were found distended and coloured with, 
 scarlet blood, and what is very extraordinary, the 
 pleura was filled with water tinged with blood, 
 probably from the violence of inflation rupturing 
 the lungs ; there M r as some little water in the sto~ 
 mach, though probably it might have been there 
 before the submersion. The discharge of the con- 
 tents of the vense cavse and of the right side of the 
 heart through the kmg^-appears to be the great 
 obstacle. The pulmonary veins were filled with 
 scarlet blood. It appeared that pulling the aorta 
 excited the contractions of the heart. 
 
148 
 
 Experiment XXXVIL 
 
 The P obits examined. 
 
 Inflation after six minutes submersion; Dissection — Cavse; 
 Veins of the neck ; Heart ; Arteries j Heat ; Peristaltic mo- 
 tion; Stomach; Muscles. 
 
 A cat about half grown was submersed for six 
 minutes, and inflation was commenced in twelve 
 minutes after immersion by introducing a gum 
 elastic catheter into the trachea and attaching its 
 extremity to the end of a common bellows. It 
 was continued for thirty minutes, and, on opening 
 the thorax, the right auricle was found slightly 
 pulsating and very full of blood ; the right ventri- 
 cle had ceased, but was slightly excited by draw- 
 ing the knife across it; the two cava were full, as 
 also the veins in the neck and arm-pit; the pulmo- 
 nary arteries were filled with scarlet blood ; the left 
 side of the heart was perfectly quiescent, not even 
 to be moved by irritation with the knife; the arte- 
 ries were almost entirely empty; the temperature 
 of the abdomen was 75° of Fahrenheit at sixty- 
 nine minutes after immersion; the peristaltic mo* 
 tionhad ceased; the stomach contained no water; 
 and the muscles had lost their irritability. 
 
t49 
 
 Experiment XXXVIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Inflation after sixty-eight minutes immersion ; Dissection — 
 Heart; Peristaltic motion ; Stomach; Heat; Veins; Left ven- 
 tricle; Blood; Lungs; Puncture of the cava ; Probe intro- 
 duced into the heart through the jugular. 
 
 A full grown female cat was submersed for 
 sixty-eight minutes, and then exposed for fifteen 
 minutes on a table, and the inflation of the lungs 
 was kept up by means of a pair of bellows and a 
 gum elastic catheter introduced into the trachea for 
 the space of thirty-five minutes. As no signs of 
 resuscitation appeared it was conjectured that the 
 attempt was vain. The body was opened; the 
 right auricle and ventricle and the venae cavse were 
 very full of black blood ; also the veins of the neck, 
 axilla, tongue, and ears ; of course those of the in- 
 side of the head which was not opened ; the heart 
 was quiescent; the peristaltic motion had ceased; 
 the muscles had lost their irritability ; the stomach 
 contained no water; and the temperature of the 
 interior of the abdomen, in two hours after sub- 
 mersion, was 75°, when that of the room was 62% 
 a curious coincidence in the three last and fif- 
 teenth experiments in this respect : the pulmonary 
 
150 
 
 veins appeared empty, but, on examination, were 
 filled with scarlet blood, proving the effect of in- 
 flation ; the left auricle contained little blood ; the 
 left ventricle very little ; the blood was fluid j the 
 lungs were of a scarlet colour. The puncture of 
 the venae cavse produced no motion in the heart. 
 A probe was run down the left jugular to the 
 heart into the right ventricle, proving that the 
 blood could be withdrawn by one of the branches 
 of this vein, and thus the motion of the heart in- 
 creased. It is, then, evident that atmospheric air 
 alone, injected into the lungs, will not resuscitate 
 these animals, 
 
 Experiment XXXIX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of four minutes submersion ; Inflation with atmospheric 
 air and 70° of Fahrenheit ■ Dissection — Heart ; Veins ; Lungs \ 
 Arteries; Heat; Stomach; Muscles; Diaphragm. 
 
 A full grown cat was immersed for four mi- 
 nutes, as in the first of the three last experiments. 
 It was found that simple inflation with the tempe- 
 rature of 60° did not recover the animal. Infla- 
 tion was commenced in five minutes after immer- 
 sion; the animal being put into a temperature of 
 70° and kept there for thirty minutes, the inflation 
 being continued, The right side of the heart, as 
 
151 
 
 also the left ventricle, still contracted ; the two 
 cavae, the axillary veins, and the jugulars were still 
 distended, though not quite so much as usual, nor 
 was the right side of the heart quite so full; the 
 lungs were very red, and the pulmonary veins 
 were filled with scarlet blood ; the carotids also 
 contained more than usual. It was then evident 
 that inflation and 70° had more effect, in this in- 
 stance, than inflation and 60° had in the first of the 
 three preceding experiments. The temperature 
 of the abdomen was 82° in about one hour after 
 immersion, which shows that there was also some 
 gain in this respect. The stomach contained a 
 small quantity of mucous glairy fluid. The mus- 
 cles, when the animal was opened, about thirty- 
 three or thirty-four minutes after death, had not 
 lost their irritability, and the diaphragm also con- 
 tracted on irritation, 
 
152 
 
 Experiment XL. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for five minutes and the temperature of 
 80° with atmospheric inflation; Dissection — Veins; Heart; 
 Arteries ; Heat ; Peristaltic motion ; Blood ; Danger of vio- 
 lent inflation ; Power of the Heart ; Blood coagulated. 
 
 A kitten was immersed for five minutes and 
 exposed in a temperature of 80°, the lungs being 
 inflated with a pair of simple bellows for thirty- 
 three minutes. The body was then examined, and 
 the heart was found pulsating in all its cavities, 
 excepting the left auricle which was filled with 
 dark-coloured blood; the pulmonary veins were 
 scarlet.* On exposure to the air the power of the 
 contractions increased ; the two vense cavse, the 
 jugulars, and the axillary vein were equally full 
 as when no inflation was practised, but the artery 
 in the axilla, the carotid, and the pulmonary ar- 
 tery were fuller than in the last case, shewing that 
 there was more circulation, though it was very 
 small, for on puncturing the carotid artery merely 
 a drop issued forth, so that it was almost obli- 
 terated. The temperature of the abdomen inter- 
 
 * Shewing that no circulation took place between the lungs 
 and left auricle. 
 
153 
 
 nally was 80°; that of the room 71°. The peris- 
 taltic motion continued in a slight degree, and, in 
 one hour after the inflation commenced, the blood, 
 on opening the breast, was found coagulated. A 
 sac of cellular membrane, as large as an egg, filled 
 with air, with the back part of the peritoneum for 
 its anterior coat, was found to occupy the back part 
 of the abdomen from the pelvis to the diaphragm. 
 It, no doubt, arose from violent inflation, which 
 drove the air into the cellular membrane in the 
 base of the lungs. The power of the heart then 
 continues after clots have formed in the blood 
 contained in its cavities. In this case the tempe- 
 rature of 80° of Fahrenheit appeared to be favor- 
 able. 
 
 Experiment XLI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of condensation of air in the lungs, 
 
 A cat was submersed, and after some hours 
 the lungs were injected by means of a syringe 
 with some force. The air penetrated to the kid- 
 ney on one side, surrounding it with a large blad- 
 der of air. The vense cavss were full of blood as 
 usual, which convinced me that this means of con- 
 densing the air had no effect in evacuating the 
 
154 
 
 cava, and thus assisting the passage of the blood 
 through the lungs. 
 
 Experiment XLII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of condensation of air in the lungs. 
 
 In another cat, in which the thorax was laid 
 open, the whole surface of the lungs was evidently 
 penetrated by the air, when pressed into them, 
 rising from them like bubbles on the surface of 
 mud; the surface of the pericardium about the 
 thymus gland was also filled. The circulation 
 had nearly ceased so that it was certain none had 
 penetrated the arteries and veins, though, from its 
 easy passage through the texture about the heart 
 and of the lungs, it was evidjent that it would give 
 easy admittance into them, provided the passage 
 »f blood through them had continued, 
 
155 
 
 EXPERIMENT XLIIL 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of seven and a half minutes immersion of 100° of Fah- 
 renheit, and fifty -five minutes inflation with atmospheric air ; 
 Heart; Ven<eCav<e; Aorta; Humeral artery; Veins; Sto- 
 mach ; Lungs. 
 
 A cat, full grown, was submersed for seven 
 and a half minutes, and a gum elastic catheter was 
 introduced into the trachea, and at the end of 
 eight minutes after immersion, and exposure in 
 air of 100°, the lungs were inflated with atmos- 
 pheric air for fifty-five minutes. The temperature 
 of the air injected into the lungs was about 70°. 
 At the end of fifty-five minutes the chest was open- 
 ed and the heart beat with great vigor ; the venae 
 cavse were full of blood; the right auricle mode- 
 rately distended; the right ventricle contained a 
 considerable quantity of blood and was beating, 
 though slowly, with considerable vigor; the left 
 auricle was nearly empty of blood ; the left auricle 
 contracted with some vigor, yet, on dividing the 
 aorta, its power was not sufficient to propel the 
 blood through the aperture. It must, however, 
 during the inflation, have had some effect in pro- 
 pelling the blood, for the humeral artery was 
 
156 
 
 found to contain more blood than usual, and the 
 veins in the axilla were very turgid ; there was 
 no water in the stomach, though the lungs were 
 filled with froth, and the intercostal arteries with 
 blood. 
 
 Experiment XLIV. ♦ 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of 60° and ligatures on the extremities; Cavae ; Arteries ; 
 Heart; Heat; Stomach; Remarks; Veins of the abdomen. 
 
 A cat was submersed for five minutes, and re- 
 moved into an air of 60° of Fahrenheit. The 
 blood-vessels of the extremities were secured by 
 ligatures, two round each whole extremity, and 
 inflation with atmospheric air was continued for 
 forty minutes ; the two cavse were filled with blood 
 to, perhaps, a greater degree than usual; the ar- 
 teries, however, were more full; the axillary ar- 
 tery and the carotid were evidently more distend- 
 ed ; the former bled considerably on dividing it, 
 which, in former cases, it never did; the lungs 
 felt warm to the hand ; and the heart still retained 
 considerable power. The temperature of the ab- 
 domen was 73°; of the room 60°. This experi- 
 ment was made under great disadvantages with 
 regard to temperature, and yet the blood-vessels 
 
157 
 
 were considerably filled; the right side of the 
 heart, I also thought, was fuller of blood than 
 common; the stomach was considerably distend- 
 ed. The animals had eaten some short time be- 
 fore death. The effect of the ligature, then, is 
 considerable, even producing distention of the ca- 
 rotids, to which they were not applied. I thought, 
 also, on examining the abdomen, that the mesente- 
 ric veins were fuller; the vena azygos was cer- 
 tainly more distended than usual. 
 
 Experiment XLV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of immersion for nine minutes ; Ligatures and infla- 
 tion with atmospheric air for thirty minutes ; Carotids; Axil- 
 iary artery ; Venje cavx. 
 
 A cat was submersed for nine minutes, and 
 after tying the extremities with ligatures so as to 
 compress the arteries, which occupied sixteen mi- 
 nutes, then inflating the lungs for thirty minutes, 
 it was placed in an atmosphere of 110° for about 
 fifteen minutes, and then in 100°. On examining 
 the breast, the carotids were found much more 
 filled with blood than in ordinary cases; the axil- 
 lary artery also was partially full, and the corres- 
 ponding vein nearly empty; the venae cavae were 
 much less distended. The result of this experi- 
 
158 
 
 ment convinced me that, assisted by ligatures, in 
 the space of thirty minutes inflation, more effect 
 was produced than by any other means yet tried. 
 The motion of the heart was different from what 
 is usual; it was of a steadily pressing character, 
 as if it would be effectual in expelling its contents, 
 which induced me to suppose, that to restore the 
 power to the heart, it was necessary that the ar- 
 teries should be in some measure full, otherwise 
 the tension of the valves is not sufficient to pre- 
 vent the passage of the blood from the left auri- 
 cle to the left ventricle, and also the same is true 
 of the pulmonary artery; it is necessary that it 
 should be full ; otherwise the blood passes back- 
 ward from the right auricle into the venae cavse, 
 and from the right ventricle into the right auricle; 
 what effect would the experiment of injecting 
 blood into the jugulars, so that it may be forced 
 into the lungs, have upon the circulation? It is 
 true that the distention of the right ventricle and 
 auricle prevent their contraction, and the evacua- 
 tion of the blood reproduces them, yet the invi- 
 goration produced by sending a large quantity of 
 blood through the lungs may increase their power, 
 and on the same principle inject into the arteries, 
 the humeral for instance, so as to fill the aorta, 
 carotids, &c. The left auricle contained scarlet 
 
159 
 
 blood, but in a small quantity, and was very much 
 contracted. 
 
 Experiment XLVI. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion for thirty minutes ; Of air of 110° of Fah- 
 renheit, and inflation with atmospheric air for one hour, and 
 ligatures on the extremities ; Vena cava ; Jugulars ; Arteries ; 
 Carotids; Heart; Effect of loosening the artery ; Heart; Ef- 
 fects of cold or air upon the heart ; Blood coagulated. 
 
 A large female cat was immersed for half an 
 hour, and removed to an air of the temperature of 
 110° of Fahrenheit. Ligatures were put around 
 all the extremities but one. A pipe was introduc- 
 ed into the trachea and inflation was commenced 
 in eight minutes after removal from the water 
 and continued for one hour. The cat was then 
 opened; the venae cavae were found very full of 
 blood ; the venae azygos and the vein belonging to 
 the internal mammary artery ; the jugulars were 
 as full as usual; the axillary artery and vein of 
 the extremity which was not tied contained less 
 blood than that on the opposite side which was 
 tied ; the carotid was fuller than usual ; the heart 
 was perfectly quiescent, as the axillary artery 
 which was tied contained more blood than the 
 one on the other side which was not, and also the 
 
160 
 
 vein. It is clear that the ligature has an effect, 
 though the result of this experiment was unfavour- 
 able to the complete resuscitation of the animal. 
 The cause of the axillary artery and vein in the 
 side which was not tied having less blood than 
 on the other side which was tied, was that it pass- 
 ed on to the lower parts of the extremity; for even 
 after complete death, when the ligature around 
 the other which was tied was loosened, the blood 
 which was in considerable quantity on the side of 
 the ligature towards the heart before opening it, 
 immediately was sent along the artery to the parts 
 below, which before loosening the ligature were 
 perfectly empty; and the vein in the part beyond 
 the ligature which laid alongside of it, which was 
 very much distended, immediately contracted also 
 and propelled its blood towards the heart, so that 
 the artery which was considerably distended be- 
 fore was now, after loosening the ligature, almost 
 empty, and the vein which was distended on the 
 radial side of the ligature was more empty, and 
 on the side of the ligature next the heart the vein 
 was more full, proving clearly the great power 
 which the arteries and veins have in propelling 
 the blood, and that it requires only a little increase 
 of the power of the heart to produce this effect. 
 The cause of death, in this instance, is not easily 
 understood : we should have suspected that there 
 
161 
 
 would have been some remains of life in the heart, 
 as afterwards really appeared to be; there are 
 great anomalies in the progress of this disease. 
 On removing the pericardium in about seventy- 
 five minutes afterwards, the heart was examined, 
 and the right auricle was found to contract on ir- 
 ritation, which it would not do immediately on 
 opening the body, proving the effect of the air or 
 temperature in exciting irritability. All the other 
 pans oi the viscus were perfectly quiescent. On 
 opening the heart, clots were found in the cavi- 
 ties of both ventricles. The cat struggled greatly 
 in dying.* 
 
 Experiment XLVII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Another cat was submersed and continued in 
 the water for one hour and twenty minutes; in 
 forty minutes more the ligatures were put upon 
 the extremities and the inflation continued for one 
 hour in a temperature varying from 100° to 110", 
 generally at 110°. At the end of this time the 
 body was examined, and it was evident from the 
 appearances of the carotids and aorta that there 
 
 * It is probable the high temperature of 110°, in which the 
 oat was kept, prevented the continuance of the heart's motion. 
 
162 
 
 had been some contractions of the heart, for they 
 were full of blood, though not to distention, as 
 also from the right auricle which still contracted 
 on irritation. The axillary artery was also full 
 on the side on which there was no ligature, and 
 the vein on the same side quite full which shewed 
 also some circulation. The artery on the other 
 side, which was tied, was pretty full, but the vein 
 comparatively empty. Does not this prove that 
 the power of the heart must have driven the blood 
 on through the axillary artery and forced the 
 blood through the axillary vein to the heart? In 
 the artery of the thigh there is very little blood, 
 the ligature being put on just above the knee, so 
 that it could not have obstructed it, as it did not 
 extend so far down. These facts evidently prove 
 that the limitation of the range of the circulation 
 certainly increases the quantity of blood in those 
 vessels which were free. 
 
 Experiment XLVIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of submersion ; Heart ; Electricity applied in a stream ; 
 Carotid and axillary artery ; Cava ; Remarks. 
 
 A full grown cat was submersed till it was 
 dead. The heart, on examination, had ceased to 
 beat, excepting the right auricle ; electricity was 
 
1-6$ 
 
 applied in a stream, the temperature of the room 
 being 56° of Fahrenheit. Both the auricles soon 
 began to contract vigorously, the ventricles being 
 still quiescent. In the space of a few minutes 
 they also began to contract and continued to beat 
 vigorously for three quarters of an hour; the con- 
 tractions were effectual and strong, because the 
 blood in the carotid was considerable in quantity, 
 and also in the axillary artery; they continued 
 with great power from the influence of the elec- 
 tricity, for the heart was perfectly quiescent be- 
 fore; the effect, however, of emptying the cava 
 was not very evident; the electricity was applied 
 in a moderate stream, and it proved that the power 
 of the heart was increased and sustained by it, as 
 it had entirely ceased, excepting the right auricle, 
 
 Experiment XLIX. 
 Incomplete, 
 
 Another cat was submersed and exposed to 
 the action of electricity, the shock being passed 
 through its side ; an error was committed in its 
 application and the experiment failed. 
 
164 
 
 Experiment L. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of electricity ; Inflation with atmospheric air and open- 
 ing the pericardium upon the heart; Effects of electricity 
 and atmospheric air united; Temperature; Effect of elec- 
 tricity on the eighth pair of nerves; Effect of electricity af- 
 ter the heart had ceased to move ; Inflation. 
 
 Another cat was submersed till it was dead, 
 and ten minutes afterwards it was opened. The 
 heart beat ten times in a minute in twenty -two mi- 
 nutes after immersion; in tyventy-eight minutes 
 after immersion a stream of electricity was sent 
 through it, and continued for five minutes, and 
 the heart beat only three times in a minute. In- 
 flation of the lungs was made for ten minutes with 
 no increase of power in the heart; the pericar- 
 dium Avas opened and the surface of the heart ex- 
 posed to the air after the irritability had appa- 
 rently ceased, and the heart, in a minute longer, 
 began to move, and its power gradually increased, 
 the contractions appearing in all the ventricles; 
 electricity and inflation were applied alternately, 
 and it yvas evident with effect; the poyver of the 
 heart was, in this instance, considerable, for the 
 carotids and axillary artery contained consider- 
 able quantities oi biood; the temperature of the 
 
165 
 
 room was 56° of Fahrenheit; the stream of elec- 
 tricity was passed, as in the last instance, in about 
 three quarters of an hour after immersion. Its 
 effect was tried on the eighth pair of nerves by 
 connecting with an iron hook introduced below 
 the nerve with the machine, and sending the stream 
 of electricity through the heart, the animal being 
 placed on an insulated stool, but with no effect. 
 After the contractions of the heart had nearly 
 ceased, in ninety-five minutes after the immersion, 
 its power was evidently increased, the whole or- 
 gan contracting with considerable vigor. Infla- 
 tion was then applied, and it was thought to in- 
 crease its contractions. 
 
 Experiment LI. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Heat after submersion ; Effect of electricity on the heart ; Ef- 
 fect of opening the pericardium on the heart; Effect of air 
 and electricity externally applied to the heart. 
 
 A cat was killed by submersion and opened in 
 ten minutes after immersion. The heart, in 
 twenty-two minutes after immersion, beat fifteen 
 times in a minute. In one hour and three minutes 
 it had ceased. Electricity was applied, but with- 
 out effect. The pericardium was opened, and the 
 heart exposed to the air in seventy-nine minutes 
 
166 
 
 after immersion, and it began immediately to con- 
 tract with vigor, so that, in the last experiment, 
 it was evident that the motions of the heart were 
 occasioned by the contact of the air, as the peri- 
 cardium was opened early in the experiment. The 
 electricity was again applied ; the heart exhibited 
 contractions of increased vigor almost immedi- 
 ately, so the air and electricity combined increase 
 the power of the heart after it had ceased from 
 the action of electricity alone. 
 
 Experiment LII. 
 
 A cat was submersed, and examined after fif- 
 teen minutes. On opening the thorax, the right 
 auricle contracted feebly. It was left for twenty 
 minutes longer, and the ventricle contracted some- 
 what, though scarcely perceptible. A bladder, 
 filled with warm water at 120° of Fahrenheit, was 
 approached to the heart; it had no effect whatever. 
 The pericardium was opened, the heat of the room 
 being about 60°. It shortly after contracted with 
 vigor, and was more sensible to mechanical irri- 
 tation. A wire heated red hot, applied to the 
 eighth pair of nerves, excited no contractions in 
 the heart; when in contact with the organ itself 
 they were vigorous. The heart increased in 
 power instantly, proving that the contact of the 
 air had great effect, 
 
16J- 
 
 Experiment LIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion and 58° Fahrenheit, and exposure to the 
 air in a diseased cat. 
 
 A cat was drowned in air of 58° of Fahrenheit, 
 and in half an hour afterwards the arteries were 
 found to be equally distended with blood, as in the 
 four last experiments, particularly the carotid. So 
 that it is a property of the animal, submersed in 
 a temperature of 58°, to empty the arteries in a 
 shorter time. It is certain that the electricity did 
 not increase the volume of the arteries, as was 
 conjectured from the last experiments. This cat 
 had an inflammation of the thymus gland; it will, 
 therefore, be necessary to repeat it. As far as 
 this fact goes it is unquestionable that the arte- 
 ries were fuller. 
 
168 
 
 Experiment LIV. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effects of electricity drawn off by points on the heart — in » 
 stream— by broad surfaces; Temperature of 58° ; Effect of 
 electricity by sparks ; Effect of pericardium opened com- 
 bined with electricity and imperfect inflation; Principle on 
 which agitations of the extremities act, and pulling the ca- 
 rotid. 
 
 Two cats were submersed till they were dead, 
 and in five minutes afterwards they were placed 
 on an insulated stool, and one of them was expos- 
 ed to a stream of electricity passed through both 
 sides of the heart by points placed on each side 
 of it, the thorax being opened to discover its mo- 
 tions. Its motions were not increased, but in ten 
 minutes after its first application had ceased en- 
 tirely, and in fifteen minutes was not irritable by 
 the point of the knife. The other, through which 
 the electricity was passed in a stream by two 
 broader surfaces, was increased in frequency and 
 in power; in fifteen minutes the heart also began 
 to weaken ; the stream was then applied and drawn 
 off by broad surfaces from the first, and it was 
 again resuscitated and its powers increased; the 
 temperature was 58°. In both it was drawn off 
 by sparks without increasing their power in the 
 
169 
 
 least. The pericardia of both were then opened 
 and exposed for ten minutes to the air, and the 
 hearts were* increased in frequency and in power; 
 electricity was then drawn off from them by points 
 and with the same effect. A stream of electricity 
 was passed through them and it increased them 
 still more. It was now an hour since they were 
 submersed, and as both the hearts were beginning 
 to decline, the lungs of one were inflated, but as 
 they had weakened very considerably it was soon 
 omitted. To ascertain whether any stimulus 
 might be communicated to the heart by agitating 
 the extremities, as it was conjectured that the 
 only mode in which an effect could" be produced 
 by that means was by stretching the arteries; the 
 axillary artery was laid bare and pulled; the mo- 
 tions of the heart were evidently increased still 
 more by pulling the carotid from its more imme- 
 diate connection with the heart; electricity was 
 passed through the stomach without effect. 
 
170 
 
 Experiment LV. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of electricity in resolving coagulations by points and by 
 a stream; Also on the colour of the clot. 
 
 A clot of blood of the size of a hazle-nut was 
 laid upon a glass stand and electricity was drawn 
 through it by points for fifteen minutes without 
 the effect of dissolving it. A stream was then 
 passed through it and with the same result. I 
 conjectured, in the last case, some little fluid ap- 
 peared about the clot, but this was not concurred 
 in by the gentleman who assisted me. The parts 
 of the clot, when the sparks were drawn off, was 
 certainly more red than those which were more 
 removed. This might have been accidental. 
 
 Experiment LVI. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of heated air of 160° of Fahrenheit on the animal sys- 
 tem ; On the temperature of the abdomen ; Convulsions; Fi- 
 nal recovery. 
 
 A cat was exposed to air of the temperature 
 of 160° Fahrenheit and removed at the end of four 
 minutes ■, convulsions were the consequence, and 
 
171 
 
 the thermometer, in the abdomen, rose to 106° in 
 twenty minutes after. The object of the experi- 
 ment was to ascertain whether the temperature of 
 the interior of the body actually rose in conse- 
 quence of the application of heat externally, and, 
 of course, whether a temperature incompatible 
 with life was thus generated. After the convul- 
 sions of the animal ceased, the respirations were 
 panting and frequent beyond measure. In the 
 course of thirty minutes after its removal it had 
 entirely recovered and appeared to be strong. 
 
 Experiment LVIL 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion and time on the emptying of the cava, 
 
 Two cats were submersed at five minutes after 
 five, P. M. and left till next morning to ascertain 
 whether there was any probability in the extraor- 
 dinary facts related of submersion for a long pe- 
 riod, and whether, as Harvey had observed, the 
 , vena cava and right side of the heart would be 
 more empty of blood, which presents so great an 
 obstacle to resuscitation. One in twenty-three, 
 the other in twenty-four hours was opened and 
 exhibited the following appearances: the vense 
 cavse were full, and the arteries contained some 
 
blood; the heart was without irritability on the 
 application of mechanical stimuli, or from the ad- 
 mission of air into the pericardium, provingclearly 
 that the changes which appeared in Harvev's ex- 
 periment do not take place in the unopened body, 
 and that the irritability did not remain in the heart, 
 &c. ; the thermometer ranged between 50° and 60 c 
 of Fahrenheit. 
 
 Experiment LVIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion on the cava, pulmonary veins, heart, ca~ 
 rotid, and axillary artery; Exposure of the heart and pulling 
 of the carotid. 
 
 Another cat was submersed till it was dead, 
 and laid in the air varying between 50° and 60° 
 of Fahrenheit, and was opened at the end of thir- 
 teen hours. The venae cavae and right auricle 
 were much distended with blood; the ventricle 
 was not so much so; the pulmonary veins were 
 full of black blood, and the left auricle contained 
 more blood than usual ; the left ventricle was much 
 as before ; the carotid and axillary arteries con- 
 tained more blood than is generally found in dis- 
 sected animals when the thermometer ranged be- 
 tween 70° and 80°; the exposure of the heart to 
 
173 
 
 the air, by opening the pericardium and pulling 
 the carotids, produced no contractions; of course, 
 the irritability had irrevocably gone. 
 
 Experiment LIX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion and time on the heart and vessels, and of 
 opening the pericardium. 
 
 Another cat, which had been submersed at the 
 same time, was examined after fourteen hours im- 
 mersion in water, the temperature of which rang- 
 ed between 50° and 60° of Fahrenheit, and it was 
 found to exhibit the same appearances. The heart 
 and vessels were in the same state, and the for- 
 mer did not contract on exposure to the air by 
 opening the pericardium or on pulling the caro- 
 tids; the right auricle and ventricle were, perhaps, 
 more soft than in the last instance. These expe- 
 riments prove that Harvey's observation does not 
 always hold good, and that the irritability is ex- 
 hausted in thirteen or fourteen hours. 
 
174 
 
 Experiment LX. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of heated fluids on the heart when injected into the 
 stomach; Heart; No sympathy between the stomach and the 
 heart. 
 
 A cat was submersed till all signs v of life had 
 ceased. The thorax was opened previous to the 
 injection, when the heart was beginning to decline 
 in power; two ounces of spirits of turpentine, milk 
 warm, were then injected into the stomach, but 
 with no effect on the motions of the heart. This 
 experiment was performed under the idea that 
 there was a sympathy in the stomach with the 
 heart, as there exists between the lungs and the 
 heart. This organ declined gradually without be- 
 ing the least influenced by the injection. 
 
 Experiment LXI. 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of inflation and temperature milk warm, and hot water 
 on the heart when injected into the stomach. 
 
 The above experiment was repeated, and infla- 
 tion was combined with it. The heart went on 
 notwithstanding, but regularly weakened; the in- 
 
175 
 
 llation was omitted after a short time; the injec- 
 tion produced no effect upon the heart. Upon 
 another animal very hot water was injected. 
 From the effect which this agent produces in hys- 
 teria and other nervous diseases it was hoped that 
 its influence would be favourable; but without any 
 effect whatever. 
 
 Experiment LXIL 
 The Points examined. 
 
 Effect of submersion; Heart quiescent; Electricity passed 
 through the stomach ; No sympathy between the heart and 
 the stomach evinced by electricity. 
 
 A cat was submersed till it was dead, and on 
 opening the thorax the heart was quiescent. A 
 stream of electricity was passed through the sto- 
 mach by means of a gum elastic catheter with a 
 wire concealed in it, introduced into that organ. 
 The electricity was conducted through it by plac- 
 ing a brass rod with a knotted end on the outside 
 of it, and thus passing a stream through it, the ani* 
 mal being placed on an insulated stool connected 
 by the metallic conductors with the ground and 
 the machine. No effect was produced by continu- 
 ing the process for five minutes; no sympathy, 
 then, existed between the stomach and the heart, 
 as evinced by electricity. The pericardium was 
 
176 
 
 opened, and the heart, in a short time, began to 
 contract from exposure to the air, and on passing 
 a stream of electricity through it, it became vigor- 
 
 ExPERIMENT LXIII. 
 
 The Points examined. 
 Effect of the surface of the lungs and heart on coagulation 
 
 Some blood was permitted to fall upon the sur- 
 face of a board on which a cat prepared for expe- 
 riment laid, and at the same time blood was also 
 discharged on the surface of the lungs and heart; 
 the latter coagulated immediately, whilst the for- 
 mer did not during the time the experiments last- 
 ed, proving the wisdom of nature in establishing 
 this quality to prevent the mischievous effects of 
 wounds of the heart and lungs. 
 
 THE END.