Recovery may be very slow; keep up your work for at least 

 two hours. 



While this process is going on, some one should remove the 

 patient's clothing. If necessary, he should be dried with a 

 towel and then covered with a blanket. This work must 

 not interfere with the operator who is causing artificial 

 respiration. Compel bystanders to stand back. The patient 

 needs every bit of air he can get. 



When the patient begins to breathe, — but not before, — he 

 should have his legs and arms rubbed toward the body. 

 This should be done without removing the blanket. The 

 patient will not breathe well all at once, and it will be neces- 

 sary to help him at first by continuing the artificial respira- 

 tion every little while. Of course, if he stops breathing at 

 any time, the artificial respiration must be renewed. 



After he is breathing well, put him to bed. Surround him 

 with hot water-bottles and cover him up well. As soon as 

 he can swallow, give him some hot coffee. Open the win- 

 dows wide, and allow him to sleep quietly. 



Cases of electric shock (from contact with live wires, for 

 example) and cases of gas poisoning require the same treat- 

 ment — artificial respiration. 



If some poisonous drug has been taken, the first thing to 



do is usually to get it out of the body again _. . 



• i i ui u • •*• Poisons 



as quickly as possible by causing vomiting. 



This may be done by running the finger down the throat, by 



drinking a large quantity of warm water, or by taking some 



substance which will cause vomiting, called an emetic. A 



teaspoonful of mustard or salt in a glass of lukewarm water 



will serve as an emetic. Promptness is more important than 



an exact dose. After the emetic has been taken, large 



quantities of warm water should be drunk, to dilute the poison 



that remains. 



51 



