ceffary, and which perhaps never need to exceed feven in all, including the medical affiftants.

A greater number will not only embarrass the operation, but render the air impure by their respiration, and the contaminated air of a crowded room, in cafes apparently favourable, may defeat all hopes of fuccefs, as we have feen with regret in more than one inftance.

If the weather will permit, the windows should be kept open, and temperature be regulated between 56 and 64 of Fahrenheit's thermometer.

If the feafon be perfectly ferene, the body may be placed in the open air to receive the genial warmth of the folar rays, while the other neceffary means of recovery are pursued.

The body, if wet, muit be immediately well dried, to prevent the chilling effects of evaporation, and then be wrapped in warm blankets, or the warm clothes taken from fome of the fpectators, unless the cooling process should be first neceffary, in confequence of the object being in a half frozen state. For in that cafe, it ought to be rubbed with fnow, or flannels wrung out of cold water or vinegar, before any degree of artificial warmth can be safely applied.

Having prepared a bed or mattress, on a table of a proper height, the body is to be placed thereon, with the head elevated by two pillows; when the different parts of the process may be conducted in the following order.

1st. Let the lungs be immediately inflated by means of the proper inftruments. When no medical affistant can be had in time, this operation may be tolerably performed, even by the common people, by only inferting the pipe of a pair of bellows into one nostril, while the mouth and oppofite noftril are closed by an assistant, and the windpipe gently preffed back. Then by forcing air into the lungs, and alternately expelling it by preffing the cheft, respiration may be imitated. Or,

upon an emergency, air may be blown into the lungs through a tobacco-pipe, a quill, or even a card folded into the form of a tube.

Not only this, but the rest of the process might certainly be performed without much difficulty by the common people, were they properly instructed; fince it appears that, in HOLLAND, more than half the recoveries of the drowned are brought

about

about by them alone, though, at home, we know

but few inftances of this fort.

21y. The electrical machine being prepared, and the

lungs expanded, let one discharging rod be placed just below the right breast, and the other above the short ribs of the left, the electrometer being moved a quarter of an inch from the jar, let the electrical current be paffed directly through the heart. The electrical fhock being given, let the lungs be emptied by making an expiration with the double bellows, or by fuffering air to escape by the mouth, while gentle preffure is made on the cheft. The moment this is accomplished, let the lungs again be expanded, and the fhock repeated, varying its direction, its power, and its frequency, as circumstances may point out.

3. Particular ftimuli may next be applied to the organs of sense, as a ftrong light to the eye, and pungent fubftances to the olfactory nerves, efpecially the falt of vinegar.

4. These operations being carried on for five minutes, let the stimulating cordial be conveyed through the flexible tube into the stomach, by

8

preffing

preffing the vegetable bottle in which it is contained.

5. Immediately after this, either of the ftimulating enemas *, may be alfo properly administered, or what would perhaps be preferable, warm VITAL AIR. The cordial, and enema, may, if neceffary, be repeated near the close of the process.

6ly. These internal ftimulants being given to pro

voke the action of the heart, bladders of tepid water should be applied to the region of the ftomach, and to the extremities.

7ly. The legs and arms must be now diligently rubbed with the warm hand, or with flannel, or a hare-skin, impregnated with the fumes of gum benzoin. The friction must be gradually extended to the thighs, abdomen, and cheft.

gly. At that critical period, when fneezing, flight twitchings, or gasping, mark the first dawn of returning life, instead of increasing, it will be prudent to moderate the ftimulating powers.

#Vide page 592.

97. The procefs above mentioned fhould be continued the full space of three hours, with very few intermiffions, unless the vital functions fhould be restored fooner. If, at the end of that period, the unfavourable fymptoms, inftead of diminishing, fhould increafe, the cafe may be confidered as utterly hopeless, and therefore the process may be discontinued. Still, however, before quitting the room, it may not be improper to order a strong blifter to be applied to the region of the heart, and warm finapifms to the feet, first fprinkled with the volatile alkaline spirit.

Ioly. When the natural respiration, and the power of swallowing are restored, the patient should be put into a bed moderately warm, with his head properly raised, and his feet wrapped in warm flannel. Warm whey, and other diluents, may now be administered, to encourage a gentle perfpiration. But he ought by no means to be left alone, till he has perfectly recovered his senses: some perfons having relapsed, and afterwards perifhed, from being deserted too soon, even after the functions were apparently restored. Unhappy

inftances