432 



THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



The easiest and most efficient method to apply is as 

 follows : Place the patient straight out upon his chest and 

 abdomen on a fairly hard and flat surface, turn his head slightly 

 to one side, so that his mouth and nose may be free. Kneel 

 beside his legs, facing his head. Place the palms of your hands 

 flat upon the lower parts of his ribs, one hand on each side, and 



Fig. i6i. — This is the best way to perform the artificial breathing operation which 



is fully explained in the text. 



press gently but firmly, not with a sudden jerk. Pause a second 

 or two, and then draw your hands back, raising the patient's 

 chest an inch or so with your fingers as you draw back (see Fig. 2 

 of picture). When you press the rib-region downwards, you are 

 driving the air out of the lungs. The moment you let go, the lungs 

 again expand, and air rushes in. Time your movements, so that 

 they may be as near as possible to the ordinary breathing of a 



