for recovering Perform apparently drowned. 413 
from the few data we have, in hopes that the fubje£l, 
thus put fairly into the hands of the publick, may in 
time, by their united endeavours, become perfeCfl y un- 
der flood. 
I lliall confider an animal, apparently drowned, as not 
dead ; but that only a fufpenfion of the aCtions of life has 
taken place. This, probably, is the cafe in the begin- 
ning of all violent deaths, except thole caufed by light- 
ning or electricity, by which abfolute death may be pro- 
duced inftantaneoully. 
How a blow on the ftomach caufes death I have not 
been able to afcertain. In all thole cafes which have 
fallen under my oblervation, the concomitant circum- 
ftances have been fuch as alfo attend death caufed by 
electricity ; viz. a total and inftantaneous privation of 
fenfe and motion without convullions, and confequently 
without any fucceeding rigor of mufcles, totally differing 
in thefe circumftances from death, where the perfon is 
ftruck lenfelefs by any injury done to the brain. I fliould 
confider the fituation of a perfon drowned to be fimilar 
to that of a perfon in a trance. In both the aCtion of 
life is fufpended, without the power being deftroyed ; but 
I am inclined to believe, that a greater proportion of per- 
fons recover from trances than from drowning ; becaule a 
trance is the natural effeCt of a .difpofition in the perfon 
to have the a£hon of life fufpended for a time; but 
drowning being produced by violence, the fufpenfion will 
more frequently laft for ever, unlefs the power of life is 
roufed to a£hon by fome applications of art. That I 
I i i 2 may 
