41 8 Mr. hunter's Propofals 
dog, in whole cafe a large column of bad blood, viz. all 
that was contained in the heart and pulmonary veins, was 
pullied forward, without any ill effect being produced ; 
and next, from the recovery of drowned perfons and 
ftill-born children, which, under thofe circumftances, 
never could happen, unleis a change of the blood could 
take place in the brain, prior to the refloration of the 
heart’s motion : therefore, the heart’s motion muff de- 
pend immediately upon the application of fuch air to the 
lungs, and not upon the effects which air has upon the 
blood, and which that blood has upon the vital parts. 
Thefe are only fecondary operations in the animal ceco- 
nomv. 
j 
It frequently happens in the cafe of drowning, that 
affiftance cannot be procured till a conliderable time after 
the accident ; every moment of which delay renders reco- 
very more precarious, the chances of which are not only 
diminifhed in the parts where the firft powers of action 
principally refide, but alfo in every other part of the body. 
In offering my fentiments on the method of treating 
people who are apparently drowned, I fhall lay before 
you, firft, w r hat I would recommend to have done ; l'e- 
condly, what I would wifh might be avoided. 
When affiftance is called in, foon after the immerfion, 
perhaps blowing air into the lungs may be fufficient to 
effect a recovery ( 0 * But if a conliderable time, fuch as 
(c) Perhaps the dephlogiflicated air, defcribed by Dr. priestley, may 
prove more efficacious than common air. It is ealiiy procured, and may be 
proferved in bottles or bladders. 
an 
