136 HUMAN BIOLOGY 



body by clasping the hands beneath his abdomen. In 

 this position the water can flow out of his lungs more 

 easily. If respiration is feeble, cold water should be ap- 

 plied to his face, and his chest should be slapped vigor- 

 ously. If all these methods fail to restore vitality, 'and if the 

 aid of a physician cannot be immediately secured, artificial 

 respiration should be attempted at once. 1 This is accom- 

 plished by laying the patient on his back, with a rolled coat 

 or other support beneath his shoulders. His mouth should 

 be opened and his tongue drawn out. His arms should then 

 be grasped firmly at the elbows and pulled upward and 

 parallel to each other until they lie above the head. In 

 this way air is drawn in through the nose and mouth. 

 When the elbows are carried downward and pressed upon the 

 chest, the air is forced out of the body. These two move- 

 ments should be alternated regularly every few seconds, and 

 hope of resuscitation should not be abandoned until several 

 hours have elapsed. 



196. Necessity of ventilation. Every act of respira- 

 tion removes oxygen from the air taken into the body, and 

 adds to the air carbon dioxid and certain poisonous organic 

 compounds. One might breathe in this air a second time 

 and still be able to extract oxygen from it. The presence 

 of chemically pure carbon dioxid in air even in considerable 

 quantity is not necessarily dangerous ; but to take into the 

 body again the organic wastes that have once been given off 

 is most unhealthful. The first effect of foul air is a feeling 

 of sleepiness, followed by headache, and if larger quantities 

 are breathed in, the body becomes poisoned. We see, then, 

 the absolute necessity of having the air in a living room 



1 Pupils should learn by actual practice on one another at home 

 the movements necessary for causing artificial respiration. 



