PHYSIOLOGY OF RESPIRATION. 



pressing the lower part of the chest while the subject is in a supine 

 position. Schaefer, who has recently compared these different 

 methods, suggests one of his own, which seems to be effective, saves 

 labor, and is less injurious to the subject.* He describes it as fol- 

 lows: "It consists in laying the subject in the prone posture, 

 preferably on the ground, with a thick folded garment underneath 

 the chest and epigastrium. The operator puts himself athwart or 

 at the side of the subject, facing his head (see Fig. 269) and places 

 his hands on each side over the lower part of the back (lowest ribs). 

 He then slowly throws the weight of his body forward to bear upon 



Fig. 269. Shows the position to be adopted for effecting artificial respiration in cases 

 of drowning. (Schaefer.) 



his own arms, and thus presses upon the thorax of the subject and 

 forces air out of the lungs. This being effected, he gradually re- 

 laxes the pressure by bringing his own body up again to a more 

 erect position, but without moving the hands." These movements 

 are repeated quite regularly at a rate of twelve to fifteen times a 

 minute until normal respiration begins or the possibility of its 

 restoration is abandoned. A half-hour or more may be required 

 before normal breathing movements start. 



* Schafer, " Medico-chirurgical Transactions," London, vol. Ixxxvii., 

 1904; also " Journal of the American Medical Association," 51, 801, 1908. 



