1809.] 
tion, near enough to the spot where the 
accident may have occurred. We al- 
lude to cases of drowning. This has 
been matter of very sincere regret to the. 
humane, and scientific portion of the 
community. And itis this.circamstance, 
which has induced us to point out.a very 
ready means of immediately, and in any 
place, or at any season, presenting etlica- 
ciously this. powerful and penetrating 
agent. For as muscular motion is de- 
pendent on nervous excitement, in the 
first instance, and as the heart, and not 
the brain, is possibly the primum moriens, 
so the nervous system must be stimulated; 
and to no stimulus is it so obedient as 
to the energy of electricity. if 
We woud recommend therefore, a 
Galvanic battery, of at least two hundred 
series, (any portion, or the whole of 
which, according to its effects, should be. 
employed.) This apparatus (as the 
discs of the battery need not be more 
than two inches square, may be brought 
to the water’s edge in case of drowning. 
The party should, if dressed, be as soon 
as possible got into a slipper bath, of the 
temperature named above: and having 
put a shilling, to which a brass or other 
metallic wire is attached, into the mouth, 
and another to any of the intercostal 
muscles, cr under the armpits, or to the 
soles ef the feet,orindeed any of the more 
sensible parts of the surface of the body, 
the other points of the wire being at 
the same time brought into contact with 
the two poles, or zinc and copper termi- 
nations, of the battery ;—an action of the 
whole body is perceptible on contact; and 
this is to be repeated, which is done after 
every successive interruption of contact, 
by the wires. Itisto be observed, that, 
as the diaphragm consents with the ol- 
factory membrane from the sympathy 
between the nerves distributed upon 
either; it may be found advisable to 
present one of the wires to the interior 
part of the nostril, rather than to the 
mouth. The energy is increased consi- 
derably in consequence; and this is 
valuable in particular when life has been 
suspended bythe inhalation of-deleterious 
vapour. Indeed, the system of sympathy, 
or consent in medicine seems too little 
attended fo, though with Dr. Whytt, we 
agree, that it 1s often of the utinost conse- 
quence to success in the art of healing. © 
It will frequently be found desirable 
to apply the: influence through the 
body, by bringing a conducting wire 
from the copper end of the battery, 
~ Mentury Mag, No. 185, 
Persons apparenily drowned or suffocated. —° 463 
to the water under the region of the 
head, while the patient is in the bath, 
and another wire from the zine termi- 
nation of the battery, to the liquid sur- 
rounding the feet, or to touch, if the 
patient be in a slipper bath, the external 
part of the bath (it being metalic and 
hence a conductor of electricity) opposite 
to where the feet are within. Thus the 
whole force, of the apparatus will be- 
passed through the patient; the animal 
‘body being a better conductor than 
water, of the electrical influences thus 
-excited by the arrangement of Volta. 
Snéezing is a good symptom, and is 
often produced immediately by this gal- 
vanic application, to the expulsion of the 
azotic elastic fluid, which must be got rid 
of before circulation can be reproduced, 
and consequently before we are to hope 
fur perfect restoration of the energies of 
vitality. Indeed the gaivanic influence, 
or this peculiar modification of elec» 
tricity, produces effects so analovous to 
those furnished at the instance of the 
will, that many physiologists have in. 
dulged themselves in theorizing on this, 
as synonymous withthe supposed nervous 
fluid itself; and therefore, as, of all other 
powers, most essential to vitality. “ 
If after this, and any other auxiliary 
means judiciously applied, the party 
begin to breathe, if his palse manifest a 
perceptible return of arterial action, or 
if the spark of latent. vitality other- 
wise discovers itself, and more especially 
if the power of deglutition, or swallowing, 
return, a few table-spoons-full of diluted 
brandy should be taken. If the breath- 
ing be very hard, and the face swelled 
and livid, six or eight ounces of blood 
may be taken with advantage. During 
bleeding, a horizoutal position is to be 
preferred, lest deliquium come on, 
When matters take this favourable 
turn, and the patient is in a degree re- 
covered, he should be put to bed in warm 
blankets, his feet Kept warm by flannels, 
with.the occasional adhibition’ of dilated 
but cordial stimulants. 
Before we conclude this important, 
topic, we may be permitted, without im- 
propriety, to menticn the effect of the 
warm bath and the galvanic energy, 
not only in cases of apparent death 
from hanging or suffocation, from what. 
ever cause, (we mean, however, that 
these effects are never io he expected to 
be applied, with advantage, in cases of 
organic lesion,) but also in cases of ex- 
posure to extreme cold. For in our own 
vee te temperate 
| 
{ 
