ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION. 



215 



Artificial Respiration. In cases of suspended respiration in 

 human beings caused by drowning, excess of anaesthesia, or other 

 injury, artificial respiration is often necessary to restore normal 

 breathing. The most efficient of these methods is described by 

 Schafer, and is known as Schafer 's method (Fig. 32). He de- 

 scribes the method as follows: It consists of 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 



Fig. 32. Position to be adopted for effecting artificial respiration. 

 (Schafer.) 



his head (Fig. 32) and places his hands on each side over the 

 lower part of the back (lower ribs). He then slowly throws the 

 weight of his body forward to bear upon his own arms, and thus 

 presses upon the thorax of the subject and forces the air out of 

 the lungs. This being effected, he gradually relaxes the pressure 

 by bringing his own body up again to a more erect position, but 

 without moving his hands. These movements are repeated reg- 

 ularly at a rate of twelve to fifteen per minute until normal res- 

 piration begins. 



Volumes of Air Respired. At each inspiration the lungs l;ik- 

 in about 500 c. c. of air, which is given out again at expiration. 

 This is known as the tidal air. After the completion of the ordi- 

 nary inspiration, it is possible by a forced inspiration to take 



